Stop the Killing

In this Stop the Killing update, Katherine Schweit revisits the Richneck Elementary School shooting in Newport News, Virginia — the case where a six-year-old student shot his teacher, Abigail Zwerner, in January 2023.

This episode focuses on the latest legal development: the dismissal of criminal charges against former assistant principal Ebony Parker, who had been accused of felony child abuse and endangerment after warnings were allegedly raised before the shooting.

Katherine explains what happened in court, why the judge dismissed the charges, and why this case continues to raise difficult questions about school shooting prevention, gun safety, child access to firearms, school accountability, and legal responsibility.

When a six-year-old cannot be held criminally responsible, who can be? The parent? The school? The administrator? The system?

For more detail on the original incident, listen to our earlier episode:Richneck Elementary School – Stop the Killinghttps://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/richneck-elementary-school/id1585146489?i=1000610558667

You can also listen to our follow-up episode on the case here:https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/stop-the-killing/id1585146489?i=1000621142440

In this episode:Katherine discusses the Richneck Elementary shooting, the criminal case against Ebony Parker, the role of school warnings, the mother’s conviction for child neglect, and the broader accountability crisis surrounding children, firearms, and school safety.

Keywords: Richneck Elementary School shooting, Newport News school shooting, Abigail Zwerner, six-year-old shooter, Ebony Parker, school shooting prevention, gun safety, child access to guns, school accountability, Stop the Killing podcast, Katherine Schweit.

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In Part Two of this powerful conversation, Katherine Schweit continues her discussion with Whitney Austin — survivor of the 2018 Cincinnati mass shooting and founder of Whitney Strong.

In Part One, Whitney shared the moment she was shot 12 times in less than a minute while walking into her workplace.

In this episode, we pick up where that story left off.

Whitney takes us through the long road to recovery — multiple surgeries, months of physical and mental rehabilitation, and the determination it took to rebuild her life.

But survival was only the beginning.

Whitney shares how that experience became the catalyst for action — leading her to create Whitney Strong, an organisation focused on finding common ground to reduce gun violence through practical, data-driven solutions.

This episode explores:

• The physical and mental recovery after surviving a mass shooting

• Turning trauma into purpose

• The creation and mission of Whitney Strong

• Community-based solutions to prevent gun violence

• The reality of pushing for change — and why persistence matters

From hands-on safety training to advocating for targeted legislation, Whitney explains how small, practical actions can come together to save lives.

This is a conversation about what comes after survival — and how one person can turn tragedy into impact.

Learn more about Whitney’s work:Whitney Strong

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And for all things Katherine Schweit including where you can purchase her book STOP THE KILLING: How to end the mass shooting crisis head to: www.katherineschweit.com

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In this powerful first part of a two-part conversation, Katherine Schweit speaks with Whitney Austin, survivor of the 2018 Cincinnati mass shooting and founder of Whitney Strong.

Whitney shares the ordinary morning that became life-changing: driving from Kentucky to Cincinnati for work, walking into her office building while on a conference call, and suddenly finding herself caught in an active shooter situation.

Shot 12 times, Whitney recalls the terrifying moments inside the revolving door, the clarity that helped her survive, the first responders who reached her, and the phone call to her husband that no family should ever receive.

This episode explores survival, situational awareness, trauma, and the ripple effects of violence — not only on those physically injured, but on families, workplaces, first responders, and entire communities.

In Part Two, Katherine and Whitney discuss recovery, Whitney Strong, and how Whitney turned unimaginable trauma into action.

Learn more about Whitney’s work:Whitney Strong

In this episode:

• Whitney Austin’s experience during the 2018 Cincinnati shooting

• Why situational awareness matters

• The role of first responders in active shooter events

• The impact of gun violence beyond the immediate victims

• What it means to survive — and begin again

Part Two is out next week.

For early access, ad-free episodes, and to support the work we do, subscribe on Apple Podcasts or visit:patreon.com/stopthekilling

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In Part 2 of this conversation, former FBI agent Katherine Schweit continues her deep dive with experts from Integras Intelligence — unpacking one of the most misunderstood and frustrating questions in the aftermath of targeted violence.

Joining Katherine are:

• Michael Ginch, Manager, Investigations

• Forhad Razzaque, President

• Why many perpetrators have no obvious warning signs — and why that’s increasing

• The uncomfortable truth: people close to offenders are often shocked by what happens 

• Why “being on the radar” can mean almost anything — from minor past incidents to vague concerns

• The legal reality: why law enforcement can’t act without threshold evidence

• How free speech and civil liberties limit intervention — even when something feels wrong

• Why monitoring the internet is not as simple as it sounds (and why it’s impossible to catch everything)

• The problem of false positives — and why context matters more than keywords

One of the most striking takeaways from this episode:

👉 Many organisations don’t even have a basic system for reporting concerns.

Which means:

• Warning signs may never reach decision-makers

• Employees don’t know who to tell

• And even when they do… there’s no clear process for action

As the Integras team explains, prevention isn’t about catching everything —it’s about what you do when something is flagged.

You can’t prevent every act of violence.

But you can build systems that make it harder to miss the signals that matter.

Because when something goes wrong, the real question isn’t just:

“Were they on the radar?”

It’s:

“What did we do when they were?”

In Part 1, Katherine breaks down:

• What background checks actually reveal

• Why investigations are limited by law

• And how risk is assessed before an incident

Learn more about the team behind this episode:👉 ⁠https://integrasintel.com/about/team/⁠

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In the aftermath of a shooting, we hear the same haunting phrase:

“He was on the radar.”

But what does that actually mean?

In this episode of Stop the Killing, former FBI agent Katherine Schweit sits down with experts from Integras Intelligence to unpack the reality behind background checks, threat assessment, and the limits of what can — and can’t — be known before tragedy strikes.

Joining Katherine are:

• Michael Ginch, Manager, Investigations

• Forhad Razzaque, President

Together, they take you inside the world most people never see — the one behind the headlines.

• What a background check actually is — and why it’s not just a simple report

• The difference between public perception and real investigative capability

• Why not all information can legally be collected, shared, or acted upon

• The concept of “permissible purpose” — and how it limits investigations

• Why companies often run only basic checks (and what gets missed as a result)

• The tension between speed, cost, and depth when hiring or assessing risk

• How investigators assess potential threats using context — not just data

As Katherine and her guests explain, background checks are not a crystal ball — they’re a snapshot in time, shaped by legal boundaries, resources, and human judgement. 

Just because someone was “on the radar”…doesn’t mean there was enough evidence — or legal authority — to act.

And that’s where the real complexity begins.

In Part 2, Katherine digs deeper into the question everyone asks after an attack:

👉 If they were on the radar… why weren’t they stopped?

You’ll hear:

• The legal thresholds that prevent intervention

• Why law enforcement can’t act on instinct alone

• The myth that “everything online is being monitored”

• And what responsibility falls on organisations — and individuals — to report concerns

Part 2 is available now for subscribers on Apple Podcasts and Patreon.

Learn more about the team behind this episode:👉 https://integrasintel.com/about/team/

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And for all things Katherine Schweit including where you can purchase her book STOP THE KILLING: How to end the mass shooting crisis head to: www.katherineschweit.com

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Klooghless: The Long Con 

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EPISODE DROP: The Badmiral (CONmunity – Season 2, Episode 1)“Hoisting the Sails of Suspicion”

This week on Stop the Killing, we’re briefly switching gears to bring you something a little different… and trust me, it’s worth it.

It started, as these things often do, with a message.

A listener reaches out with a story about a man calling himself an Admiral — a leader of a global disaster response organisation promising million-dollar budgets, elite teams, and international backing.

But as I start pulling on that thread… the story begins to unravel.

What follows is a world of:

• Fake titles and real military figures

• Promises of $250,000 salaries that never materialise

• A mysterious organisation called IntSAR

• And one question that refuses to go away…

Is this the beginning of something legitimate — or the early signs of a global con?

This is Episode One of The Badmiral — where we set sail into a story that quickly becomes stranger than fiction.

You can listen to the rest of The Badmiral and explore CONmunity here:👉 Apple Podcasts (search: CONmunity Podcast)

If you enjoy investigative storytelling like this, check out:

• Klooghless: The Long Con — a deep dive into one of New Zealand’s most fascinating fraud cases

• Watching Two Detectives — real detectives breaking down real cases with insider insight

(All links are in the show notes)

Huge congratulations to Katherine Schweit — her bookWomen Who Talk to the Dead is currently topping the Amazon charts in its category.

If you’ve been meaning to read it, now’s your moment

We’ll be back to regular Stop the Killing programming next week.

But for now…welcome aboard The Badmiral.

• Follow Stop the Killing on Apple or Spotify

• Share this episode with someone who needs to hear it

• Leave a review to help more people find the show

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Message us on instagram : 

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And for all things Katherine Schweit including where you can purchase her book STOP THE KILLING: How to end the mass shooting crisis head to: www.katherineschweit.com

RESOURCES

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THE BRAVERY ACADEMY

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Thanks to Imron Corporation for hosting this live episode of Stop the Killing at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, recorded in January 2025.

What do a vehicle attack in New Orleans…a car explosion in Las Vegas…and a targeted assassination in New York…

all have in common?

More than you think.

In this special live episode — recorded on the field at SoFi Stadium in January 2025 — Sarah and Katherine break down three recent, high-profile cases and reveal the patterns that link them.

Because while the headlines call them different things — terrorism, explosion, assassination — the reality is much simpler, and much more important:

They are all acts of targeted violence.

And if we understand the patterns, we have a chance to stop them.

A vehicle used as a weapon.14 people killed. Dozens injured.

• How the attacker carried out reconnaissance beforehand

• Why temporary security gaps (like removed bollards) mattered

• The warning signs that were there before the attack

• How planning and opportunity collided in real time

A shocking incident outside a Trump hotel just hours later.

• Why this was not what it first appeared to be

• The role of mental health and personal crisis

• How quickly speculation can spiral into misinformation

• The difference between targeted violence and self-directed harm

A calculated, premeditated killing in broad daylight.

• 10 days of surveillance before the attack

• The escape plan — and where it unraveled

• How digital footprints helped track the suspect

• The disturbing rise of online glorification after violent acts

• These incidents may look different — but the behaviour patterns are the same

• Targeted violence is almost always planned, not spontaneous

• The warning signs are there — but often missed or dismissed

• Prevention starts with recognising changes in behaviour

• The public plays a critical role, often without realising it

Across all three cases, one theme stands out:

Behavioural change.

• Sudden isolation

• Dropping off the radar

• Changes in routine, work, or communication

• Fixation on a person, place, or grievance

These are the signals that matter — whether someone is heading toward harming others or themselves.

• Most active attacks are over in minutes

• The opportunity to stop them is before they begin

• Prevention is always a shared responsibility

This is not about fear.It is about awareness.

This episode was recorded live in January 2025 during the Imron Safety and Security Conference in Los Angeles, surrounded by experts, practitioners, and innovators working on real-world solutions.

We had a brilliant experience with the team at Imron Corporation — from the staff to the exhibitors, the conversations, and the technology on show.

If you are serious about understanding where safety and security is heading, these summits are genuinely worth your time. They bring together industry leaders, law enforcement, and cutting-edge technology in a way that sparks real collaboration.

Find out more about upcoming summits here:https://imron.com/pages/imron-security-and-safety-summit-detroit

• Follow Stop the Killing on Apple or Spotify

• Share this episode with someone who needs to hear it

• Leave a review to help more people find the show

Different headlines.Same patterns.

And the more we understand them, the better chance we have of stopping the next one.

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Message us on instagram : 

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And for all things Katherine Schweit including where you can purchase her book STOP THE KILLING: How to end the mass shooting crisis head to: www.katherineschweit.com

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RUN, HIDE, FIGHT

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CONNING THE CON

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THE BRAVERY ACADEMY

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Join former FBI Katherine Schweit for more on Stop the Killing podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a reprised episode from Season 4 

SURVIVING PARKLAND 

Join us for a special episode of Stop the Killing podcast as we welcome Elizabeth Stout, a survivor of the Parkland High School shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas. Elizabeth is also the host of the new podcast "Trigger Therapy," where she shares her experiences and insights on surviving a school shooting. In this episode, Elizabeth lays bare what it really is like to "survive" a school shooting, including the struggles with survivor's guilt, PTSD, and much more.

Key Points to Know About the Episode:

• Elizabeth Stout: Elizabeth was a student in one of the targeted classrooms during the Parkland shooting. She has since become an advocate for mental health and gun control, and she shares her story and insights on her new podcast "Trigger Therapy."

• Surviving a School Shooting: Elizabeth discusses the emotional and psychological toll of surviving a school shooting, including the challenges of coping with trauma, guilt, and grief.

• Trigger Therapy: Elizabeth's podcast "Trigger Therapy" offers a platform for survivors of trauma to share their stories and connect with others who have experienced similar struggles. The podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, and we encourage our listeners to check it out.

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And for all things Katherine Schweit including where you can purchase her book STOP THE KILLING: How to end the mass shooting crisis head to: www.katherineschweit.com

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This episode is a reprised listener question from Season 3—and honestly, it’s one that feels just as urgent today as it did then.

Originally sparked by a question about “leakage” (those warning signs before violence), this conversation dives into something we all recognise… but often struggle with:

👉 The hesitation to act.

Why do we see something… feel something… and still say nothing?

In this episode, we explore:

The real reason people hesitate to report concerns

Why your gut instinct matters more than you think

How “leakage” shows up before acts of violence

The critical role everyday people play in prevention

Because here’s the truth:Most people don’t miss the signs…They just don’t act on them.

And as you’ll hear in this episode, that hesitation can be the difference between prevention and tragedy.

One of the biggest barriers isn’t awareness—it’s action. People see things. They feel things. But they don’t always say something.

This is one of those conversations that might just change how you respond the next time something doesn’t feel right.

🎧 Listen now and ask yourself:Would you act… or would you hesitate?

Relevant Resources and Links:

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More insights from Katherine Schweit: Katherine Schweit..

Website: Sarah Ferris Media

Email: [email protected]

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