A Virginia judge just threw out the criminal case against former Richneck Elementary assistant principal Ebony Parker, the administrator accused of ignoring repeated warnings that a 6-year-old student had brought a gun to school before he shot first-grade teacher Abby Zwerner in 2023. And the jud ge didn’t leave much room for interpretation. Former vice principal of Richneck Elementary, Ebony Parker (YouTube screenshot/Court TV) “The court is of the legal opinion that this is not a crime,” Circuit Court Judge Rebecca Robinson said Thursday before dismissing all eight felony child abuse and neglect charges against Parker with prejudice, meaning prosecutors cannot bring the case again. Parker reportedly lowered her head onto the defense table and appeared to sob after the ruling.  ‘GET THE… OUT OF HERE!’: New Jersey Man Arrested After Berating Black Woman in Profanity-Laced Tirade in Middle of Busy Street in Viral Video The decision abruptly ended what had become one of the most closely watched school shooting accountability cases in the country, and one that tested just how far prosecutors could go in trying to criminally blame school officials for failing to stop a shooting carried out by a child. Parker had faced eight felony counts tied to the January 2023 shooting at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia, where a 6-year-old student shot and seriously wounded teacher Abby Zwerner inside her classroom. Prosecutors argued Parker ignored multiple warnings from staff members who believed the boy had a gun on campus.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Atlanta Black Star (@atlblackstar) According to testimony during the short-lived trial, several educators warned Parker about the child, who reportedly had a history of behavioral problems. Witnesses said Parker ordered a search of the boy’s backpack but advised against searching his pockets until his mother arrived at the school.  “There was only one person in the school that day that had both the authority to act and the knowledge of the ongoing crisis,” Assistant Commonwealth Attorney Josh Jenkins told jurors during opening statements. “That person … was Dr. Parker.”  But Parker’s attorneys aggressively flipped the blame back onto teachers and staff members, including Zwerner herself, arguing multiple adults had direct contact with the child that day and also failed to take action. “If the commonwealth wants to accuse Dr. Parker, what about these other people that had direct contact with this child?” defense attorney Curtis Rogers argued in court.  The judge ultimately sided with the defense and struck all eight charges before the case could reach a jury verdict. She faced up to five years in prison on each charge. The case marked the first known criminal trial against a school educator in connection with a student carrying out a school shooting, placing Parker at the center of a national debate over who should face criminal consequences when warning signs are allegedly ignored.  The 6-year-old boy used a handgun prosecutors said he took from his mother’s purse before bringing it to school in his backpack. His mother, Deja Taylor, later pleaded guilty to felony child neglect and federal gun charges connected to the shooting and recently completed her prison sentence. Authorities have repeatedly said the child will not face criminal charges because of his age and severe emotional issues.  Even though Parker escaped criminal liability, the civil fallout from the shooting continues. Last year, a civil jury awarded Zwerner $10 million after finding Newport News Public Schools and administrators failed to protect her despite repeated warnings about the student’s behavior and the possibility he had a weapon. Testimony during that trial heavily focused on Parker’s actions the day of the shooting.  After Thursday’s ruling, attorneys representing Zwerner released a statement saying the dismissal removes one of the legal arguments Newport News officials previously used in the ongoing insurance fight tied to the civil judgment. They also accused the city of continuing to avoid accountability while Zwerner relives the trauma through repeated court proceedings.  Thursday’s decision officially ends the criminal proceedings against Parker, but the larger argument over who failed Abby Zwerner that day is far from over Ebony Parker Criminal Trial: Judge Dismisses Charges Against Assistant Principal in Case of 6-Year-Old Who Shot Virginia Teacher ...read more read less