13-Year-Old Charged After Dodgeball Attack Injures Ex-Girlfriend in Arizona Gym
A 13-year-old student in Spring Valley, Arizona, was charged with misdemeanor assault after he and two friends repeatedly threw dodgeballs at his ex-girlfriend during a PE warm-up, causing bruising that required hospitalization.
In December 2025, a PE warm-up at Mayer High School in Spring Valley turned violent when Abel Schipper, 13, and two peers repeatedly aimed dodgeballs at his former girlfriend as she exited the bathroom. A social worker reported the incident to the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office, noting the girl was struck several times and later hospitalized with bruising to her upper right rib cage and lower right abdomen. Schipper told police he did not anticipate the balls would cause injury, describing them as small and compressible, while the other boys admitted to hitting the girl as well.
The teen’s mother, Cecily Schipper, said she only discovered the misdemeanor assault charge after receiving a letter from the Yavapai County Juvenile Justice Center and expressed disbelief that a school game could be treated as a weapon. She suggested the punishment was disproportionate, though she acknowledged some accountability might be appropriate. The case is set for a judicial hearing on August 17.
Why it matters
The case highlights how ordinary school activities can become criminal matters, raising questions about youth discipline and legal thresholds.
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