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Ariz. (AZFamily/Gray News) – A 13-year-old Arizona boy faces a misdemeanor assault charge after a dodgeball incident during a high school physical education class left another student with bruises, according to a police report
Abel Schipper, 13, and two of his friends at Mayer High School said they threw foam dodgeballs at Schipper’s ex-girlfriend during a warm-up for an eighth grade gym class game in December 2025
“We threw around the dodgeballs, and then, I throw it at her. I hit her,” Schipper said. “One of the kids missed. The other kid also hit.”
Two days later, the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office received a tip from a Banner Health social worker who said three boys had attacked a classmate. The tipster said the boys “relentlessly assaulted her with dodgeballs when she came out of the bathroom” and said she was <a href="https://healthylife7.com/hca-workers-at-osceola-hospital-call-for-better-pay-and-benefits/” title=”HCA workers at Osceola hospital call for better pay and benefits”>hospitalized
The police report describes photos the girl’s mother took showing two softball-sized, blue and purple bruises on her upper right rib cage and lower right abdomen
“I didn’t think a dodgeball would hurt, and these are small ones too. So, you can squeeze them and they compress and stuff,” Schipper said
A deputy interviewed all of the students involved. All three boys said they had no intention of hurting the girl. Schipper did tell the deputy, “I’m not going to lie. I did target her a little bit.”
He later told Arizona’s Family that targeting someone is part of the game
“Obviously, I’m going to have to target somebody for dodgeball. It’s dodgeball. You have to choose somebody, throw the ball, then try to get them out,” he said. “I didn’t want to hurt her at all.”
Schipper said his ex-girlfriend is the victim in this case
“I wouldn’t say we were on good terms, but I also wouldn’t say we were on bad terms. She used to hit me a lot, and then, she kind of just broke it off after that,” he said
Schipper’s mother, Cecily, said she received no communication from school officials after the incident and that her son was never disciplined at school
She also said she was unaware that a deputy had interviewed her son on school grounds until months later when she got a letter from the Yavapai County Juvenile Justice Center notifying her of the misdemeanor assault charge
“It is absolutely ridiculous. This is a game that every kid in the nation plays at some point in their life,” she said. “They’re considering the dodgeball a weapon and that he knowingly or willingly, recklessly harmed this girl just playing dodgeball in PE.”
Schipper’s mother said there were no hard feelings between her son and his ex before and after what happened in gym class
“I have text messages from her asking for rides home after this incident happened in December. So, it’s just strange. And I was friends with her mom as well,” she said. “If it was a situation where boys will be boys, then he deserves punishment for that. But I also think… my son is getting injustice here when it comes to the court situation.”
A judge is scheduled to hear the case Monday. According to the Schipper family, two of the three boys involved will appear to defend themselves
The school and the victim’s mother did not respond to requests for comment
Copyright 2026 KTVK/KPHO
