Former Newport News teacher shot by 6-year-old student speaks out 1 year after incident

In the year since she was shot by a student in her Virginia classroom, former Richneck Elementary School teacher Abby Zwerner said she continues to struggle physically and mentally.

"I went through something very traumatic. I'm trying to still deal with it the best that I can," Zwerner told Hampton, Virginia, ABC affiliate WVEC in an interview that aired Friday. "I still have good days, still have bad days. You never know what you're going to feel when you wake up."

Zwerner was in the middle of teaching her first grade class on Jan. 6, 2023, when police say her then-6-year-old student intentionally shot her. The bullet went through her hand and then into her chest, and she was initially hospitalized with life-threatening injuries.

During a sit-down interview with WVEC in her attorney's office, Toscano Law Group, Zwerner, 26, said she has undergone five surgeries in the year since the shooting.

"It's just very slow progression, very slow, you know, growth and getting the functions of the hand again, which I will not get back the way it fully was," Zwerner said.

She said she also has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression and has nightmares stemming from the incident.

"One of the big moments for me that stays in my head, more so than some other moments, is the look on the student's face when he pulled out the firearm. It's a haunting look," Zwerner said.

Zwerner said she does not think she will be able to teach again due to the "anxiety, the PTSD and the fear."

"I was in my career that I went to college for, that I worked hard to get, and I loved it. And the thought never crossed my mind that I was going to be shot by a 6-year-old in my classroom," she said. "I feel like it's just been taken from me, it's been stripped of me."

The student brought the gun from home, police said. His mother, Deja Taylor, has since been sentenced to two years in state prison for child neglect in connection with the shooting. Taylor was also sentenced to 21 months in prison on federal firearm and drug charges.

Zwerner did not speak directly about the family, but said she does "trust and believe in the court system."

"Unfortunate, terrible, traumatic things can happen. But that's why we have the court system to hold those responsible accountable," she said.

Zwerner is also in the midst of a civil lawsuit over the incident. She sued her former school district for $40 million last year, alleging the shooting could have been prevented by school administrators after several warnings.

The school board's lawyers sought to dismiss her claim, arguing her injuries are covered under the state's worker's compensation law, though a judge ruled that the lawsuit could proceed.

"It's hard to think about the far future. Just all my mind is getting through this lawsuit that we've just been stuck in," Zwerner said.

She said she plans to stay in Newport News for her new career path, but did not want to share her next steps.

Zwerner said she finds joy in spending time with her family and friends.

"Whether it be grabbing lunch with someone for an hour or two and catching up, or our family members having dinner at my mom's house together, just the time spent with people has meant a lot to me," she said.