The lawsuit accuses the defendants of gross negligence for ignoring warning signs and failing to take appropriate precautions to prevent the incident from occurring.
According to the lawsuit, school officials were aware that the unidentified child “had a history of random violence.” The same boy had previously “strangled and choked” his kindergarten teacher and was known to chase other students with a belt and curse at staff. He had taken the teacher’s phone and smashed it on the ground two days before shooting Ms Zwerner, resulting in a one-day suspension.
Ms Zwerner’s injuries were severe, and she has undergone surgery four times since the incident. According to the lawsuit, the victim is suing for compensatory damages for permanent bodily injuries, physical pain, mental anguish, lost earnings, and other losses.
The incident has sparked outrage in the community, with many questioning the school’s safety measures and how the situation was handled. Since then, the school board has voted to install metal detectors at Richneck Elementary and all other schools in the district. The school board fired the superintendent, and the assistant principal resigned.
