10M

Abby Zwerner, 28, was shot in 2023 as she sat in a first-grade classroom and sustained life-threatening injuries.

A jury in the state of Virginia in the United States has awarded $10m to a former teacher who was shot by a six-year-old student.

The jury on Thursday sided with former teacher Abby Zwerner’s claim, made in a civil lawsuit, that an ex-administrator at the school had ignored repeated warnings that the six-year-old child had a gun in class.

Zwerner, 28, was shot in January 2023 as she sat at a reading table in her first-grade classroom and spent nearly two weeks in the hospital, required six surgeries and still does not have the full use of her left hand.

The bullet fired by the six-year-old narrowly missed her heart and remains in her chest.

Zwerner, who did not address reporters outside the court after the decision was announced, had sought $40m in damages against Ebony Parker, a former assistant principal at Richneck Elementary School in the city of Newport News, Virginia.

One of her lawyers, Diane Toscano, said the verdict sent a message that what happened at the school “was wrong and is not going to be tolerated, that safety has to be the first concern at school”.

Zwerner’s lawyers had claimed that Parker, the assistant principal at the time, had failed to act in the hours before the shooting after several school staff members told her that the student had a gun in his backpack.

“Who would think a six-year-old would bring a gun to school and shoot their teacher?” Toscano had asked the jury earlier.

“It’s Dr Parker’s job to believe that is possible. It’s her job to investigate it and get to the very bottom of it.”

Parker did not testify in the lawsuit.

The mother of the student who shot Zwerner was sentenced to four years in prison after being convicted of child neglect and firearms charges.

No charges were brought against the child, who told authorities he got his mother’s handgun by climbing onto a drawer to reach the top of a dresser, where the firearm was in his mother’s purse.

Newtown Action Alliance, an advocacy organisation that supports reforms aimed at addressing gun violence, said that the case points to the need for greater regulations over the storage of firearms in homes with children.

“Abby Zwerner was shot by her 6-year-old student using a gun from home,” the group said in a social media post, adding that “76 percent of school shooters get their guns from their homes or relatives”.

Abby Zwerner was shot by her 6-year-old student using a gun from home.

76% of school shooters get their guns from their homes or relatives.

Urge your Members of Congress to cosponsor Ethan’s Law.

Congressional Switchboard: (202) 224-3121#SafeStorageSavesLives #EndGunViolence pic.twitter.com/YZyuo0KxXj

— Newtown Action Alliance (@NewtownAction) November 6, 2025

Zwerner no longer works for the school district and has said she has no plans to teach again. She has since become a licensed cosmetologist.

While accidents involving young children accessing unsecured firearms in their homes are common in the US, school shootings perpetrated by those under 10 years old are rare.

A database compiled by US researcher David Riedman has registered about 15 such incidents since the 1970s.

July 29 (UPI) — The State Department has increased to $10 million its reward for information leading to the identification or location of the leader of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

Sa’ad bin Atef al-Awlaki is the man the State Department says leads AQAP and has called for attacks against the United States and its allies.

Al-Awlaki also has led AQAP attacks against the United States and kidnapped Americans and other Westerners in Yemen in his prior role as the amir of the Shabwah province in Yemen, according to a State Department news release issued on Tuesday.

The State Department previously offered a $6 million reward for information identifying or locating al-Awlaki’s whereabouts via the Rewards for Justice program.

Al-Awlaki also goes by the names Sa’d Muhammad Atif and Jalaal al-Sa-idi and was born in Yemen sometime between 1978 and 1983.

He stands 5’6″ and has a thin build, according to the State Department.

The State Department also is offering rewards of $5 million and $4 million, respectively, for information leading to the identification or location of Ibrahim al-Banna and Ibrahim Ahmed Mahmoud al-Qosi.

Al-Banna and al-Qosi are part of the leadership team that assists al-Awlaki in his role as the leader of AQAP.

Anyone with information on al-Awlaki, al-Banna or al-Qosi can contact the Rewards for Justice office via Telegram, Signal or WhatsApp at +1202-702-7843.

Those using a Tor browser also can contact the Rewards for Justice’s Tor-based tipline at he5dybnt7sr6cm32xt77pazmtm65flqy6irivtflruqfc5ep7eiodiad.onion.

Congress created the Rewards for Justice program in 1984, which is administered by the State Department’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security.

The program offers rewards for information that helps protect American lives, U.S. interests and national security.

Since its inception, Rewards for Justice has paid out more than $250 million in rewards to more than 125 people who provided information that helped protect U.S. citizens and end threats to national security.

One of the UK’s most beloved holiday park brands, Haven, has unveiled ambitious plans to transform its Kent Coast site with a hefty £10 million investment – and work has already begun

A giant holiday park is ploughing a whopping £10 million to transform one of its sites, as it promises guests there will ‘never be a moment to be bored’.

Haven – which has 38 sites dotted along the Great British coastline – is upgrading its Kent Coast resort to create a brand new swimming complex. It will feature a splash activity zone, falling rapids slide, and see the current outdoor pool be converted into another huge indoor pool.

The huge investment follows previous refurb work, including a new state-of-the-art 1,200-seater venue with big screens, an outdoor terrace, and a bar and kitchen. Kent Coast’s arcade also recently had a makeover – joining the Creative Studio space where guests can unleash their creativity with activities like pottery making and Make a Bear.

READ MORE: Three UK seaside towns set for £150m Butlin’s boost with eyes on ‘fourth site’

Alongside the swimming pool investment, Haven invested £1.35 million into opening a new J D Wetherspoon pub, The London Stone, which opened back in March. This was part of a much wider £6.7 million investment after the holiday park partnered with the pub chain to open three other JDW sites at Devon Cliffs, Cleethorpes Beach, and Haggerston Castle.

The expansion of its J D Wetherspoon partnership is also part of a broader £8.3 million boost to enhance food and beverage offerings in 2025. This has already resulted in two new Burger Kings opening up at Hopton Holiday Park and Lakeland Holiday Park.

Haven told the Mirror it is also working on ‘modernising’ its holiday home accommodation and adding more pitches across its portfolio. Work on Kent Coast Holiday Park began at the end of 2024, and is due to be completed by the end of the year.

In a statement sent exclusively to the Mirror, Simon Palethrope, CEO of Haven said the £10 million investment will create a ‘brilliant new experience’ for holidaymakers. “Whether it’s the thrill of the new Falling Rapids, enjoying a splash in the new AquaPlay centre or toddlers learning to swim in the new Confidence Water area, there’s something for everyone,” he added.

“To add to this, grabbing a bite in our new J D Wetherspoon pub, taking part in Haven’s Adventure Village, or simply relaxing in one of our stylish holiday homes, there’s never going to be a moment to be bored. With pool works already underway and due for completion by the end of 2025, we look forward to welcoming guests to enjoy an even more memorable stay.”

The park remains open as usual, and Haven has vowed to keep disruption to a minimum. If you’re wanting to book a staycation at the park, four-night breaks start from just £49.

*Prices based on Haven listings at the time of writing.

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