Mayer, Arizona — A middle school gym class has turned into a juvenile court case after a 13-year-old boy allegedly targeted his ex-girlfriend with dodgeballs during a PE warm-up, leaving the girl with significant bruising.
The incident happened at Mayer High School, roughly an hour outside Phoenix, in December 2025. The teen, identified as Abel Schipper, acknowledged throwing a dodgeball at the girl but said he never intended to injure her.
Schipper told AZ Family that he believed the dodgeballs used during the class were relatively soft and did not think they could cause serious harm.
Social Worker Reported Alleged “Relentless” Attack
According to a police report obtained by the outlet, a social worker contacted the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office several days after the incident.
The social worker allegedly told authorities that Schipper and two other boys had “relentlessly assaulted” the girl with dodgeballs after she came out of a bathroom.
The girl reportedly suffered serious bruising to her upper right rib cage and lower right abdomen and was hospitalized following the incident.
The circumstances surrounding exactly how many times the girl was struck and the sequence of events remain central to the case.
Teen Says It Was Part of the Game
Schipper and the other boys reportedly told police that the dodgeball warm-up was already underway when they began throwing balls toward the girl.
Schipper admitted that he threw a ball and hit her, while another boy missed and a third reportedly also struck her.
However, the teen insisted that the incident was not malicious.
“I didn’t think a dodgeball would hurt,” Schipper said, explaining that the balls were small and could be compressed.
He also argued that choosing another student to target is simply part of playing dodgeball.
“Obviously I’m going to have to target somebody for dodgeball. It’s dodgeball,” the 13-year-old said. “You have to choose somebody, throw the ball, then try to get them out.”
Mother Says She Was Shocked by Criminal Charge
Schipper’s mother, Cecily Schipper, said she was unaware that police had interviewed her son at school.
She said she only learned about the case months later after receiving a letter from the Yavapai County Juvenile Justice Center informing her that her son had been charged with misdemeanor assault.
The mother strongly criticized the decision to pursue the case.
“It is absolutely ridiculous. This is a game that every kid in the nation plays at some point in their life,” she told AZ Family.
She also objected to the suggestion that the dodgeball could be treated as a weapon and that her son knowingly, willingly or recklessly injured the girl.
Cecily said she would accept punishment if her son had intentionally harmed someone, but argued that the circumstances appeared to be a schoolyard game that had escalated into something much more serious.
Mother Questions What Happened After the Incident
Cecily also raised questions about the relationship between the teenagers after the alleged incident. She claimed that the girl later texted her asking for rides home, despite the December confrontation.
According to Cecily, she had also previously been friends with the girl’s mother, making the situation even more confusing from her perspective.
The allegations have not been resolved in court, and the teen’s account differs significantly from the description provided by the social worker.
Case Heads to Judge as Dodgeball Debate Continues
The case is scheduled to go before a judge on August 17.
The incident has also drawn attention because it is not the first time a child has faced an assault case following a dodgeball-related injury.
In 2019, a 10-year-old Michigan boy was accused of throwing a dodgeball at another student’s head during a schoolyard game. The student reportedly suffered a concussion, and the boy was suspended and charged with assault.
That case was later dropped after prosecutors reviewed the circumstances.
The Arizona case now raises similar questions about where the line should be drawn between ordinary schoolyard play and conduct that can result in criminal consequences.
Do you think this Arizona dodgeball incident should have resulted in an assault charge, or did the situation go too far legally? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
