NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — During the fourth day of former Richneck Elementary School first grade teacher Abigail Zwerner's lawsuit against the Newport News School Division and former Assistant Principal Ebony Parker — where Zwerner's team is seeking $40 million — Abby herself is expected to take the stand.
Watch day 4 of the trial, where Zwerner is expected to take the stand, in the player below.
First taking the stand Thursday was forensic psychiatrist Dr. Clarence Watson, who has treated Zwerner following the shooting. He told the court he had diagnosed Zwerner with post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD), anxiety and depression.
It was also noted that Zwerner's father passed in 2020.
Zwerner told the doctor that she has nightmares of fears of being killed, and fears of the shooter following her and coming back to "finish the job."
The doctor added that Zwerner has "impressed" him with her devotion to working on her mental health following the shooting. He later said that she has suffered from suicidal thoughts.
The camera frequently cut to Zwerner, who remained stoic and composed. Behind her, Zwerner's mother, Julie, and sister, Hannah — who both testified earlier this week — held each other and appeared emotional as they listened to Watson describe Abby's mental health issues since the shooting.
Day 3 recap: Zwerner's twin testifies; First responders and medical professionals describe shooting aftermath
Hannah Zwerner was called to the stand by her twin sister's legal team on Wednesday. When asked about how her sister has changed since the shooting, Hannah testified that her sister is more reclusive now, adding that it’s hard to get her to go out and do things.
"She's just not the person that she was. I feel like she's kind of lost her sense of direction in a way. She doesn't want to go out anymore. I don't talk to her as much as we used to," said Hannah Zwerner, later adding, "She doesn't want to talk about things. She doesn't share them with us."
Earlier on Wednesday, shocking police bodycam footage from an officer who responded in Zwerner's classroom after the shooting was shown. The footage, which WTKR has chosen not to release, depicts a frenzied, bloody scene, with Zwerner lying on the ground while officers perform life-saving measures.
Thomas Blyth, a retired corporal with the Newport News Sheriff's Office, also responded to the shooting. He testified about how long it took for law enforcement to be let into the school.
"We immediately went to the front door of the school, hit the buzzer, knocked on the doors, couldn't get in. Didn't see anybody moving around, not what we expected to be responding to a situation like this," noted Blyth. "It seemed like an eternity for us. It was probably about a minute of banging on the door til, I think, a janitor or a security person opened the door for us."
Full testimony: Abby Zwerner's twin says her sister's "light has dimmed" since Richneck shooting
When asked about how her sister has changed since the shooting, Hannah testified that her sister is more reclusive now, adding that it’s hard to get her to go out and do things.
"She's just not the person that she was. I feel like she's kind of lost her sense of direction in a way. She doesn't want to go out anymore. I don't talk to her as much as we used to," said Hannah Zwerner, later adding, "She doesn't want to talk about things. She doesn't share them with us."
Another unexpected factor, Blyth stated, was the shooter's age: "We were quite taken aback. We didn't expect to see so young of a suspect."
As Blyth testified that he found the gun on the floor, pictures of Zwerner's classroom and the weapon were shown in the courtroom.
Watch: Doctor explains impact of Zwerner's hand injury to jurors
Testimony was also provided by Dr. Romney Andersen, who treated Zwerner's hand at Riverside Regional Medical Center. As News 3 has reported, when Zwerner was shot, the bullet passed through her hand, pierced her chest and caused significant injuries, including a collapsed lung.
In court, Zwerner stood up for a demonstration as Dr. Andersen showed jurors the lasting impacts of the injury on her left hand. During a strength test, he said it felt like her left hand had less than half the strength of her right hand.
Day 2 recap: Emotional testimony from Zwerner's mother and colleagues
The first day of testimony on Tuesday was an emotional one, with witnesses including Zwerner's mother and colleagues who were at Richneck on the day of the shooting.
Watch related: Zwerner's mom Julie takes the stand
Amy Kovac, a reading specialist at Richneck, took the stand and described hearing the gunshot coming from Zwerner's classroom, then entering the room and seeing blood on Zwerner's leg.
She said she then walked to the shooter, who was referred to only as "JT" in the court, and attempted to subdue him.
"He was standing there with his legs kind of spread open, arms crossed and cocky, and when I got to him, I didn't say anything," Kovac said. "I took his wrist because I knew he shot with his left hand. I walked to Abby's desk where her phone was. I put him in between my legs, put my arms around him."
The final testimony on Tuesday was delivered by Zwerner's mother, Julie, who told the court her daughter loved teaching and was becoming a great educator before her career was cut short by the bullet that pierced her hand and went into her chest.
Watch related: Trauma surgeon describes Zwerner's injuries from Richneck shooting
A key moment on Tuesday was when Dr. Nina Farrish, the director of human resources for Newport News Public Schools, took the stand. She testified that Parker admitted to her two or three days after the shooting that it was reported around 12:20 p.m. the student had a gun in his backpack. That was more than 90 minutes before the shooting.
The trial kicked off this week with jury selection on Monday, with all testimony thus far being provided by witnesses called to the stand by Zwerner's team. The trial is expected to last no more than eight days.
Any verdict against Parker in the civil case is expected to be paid by the Virginia Risk Sharing Association.
