An Arizona teen, along with two friends, is facing assault charges after reportedly targeting his ex-girlfriend with a dodgeball during gym class, resulting in her sustaining bruises.
Abel Schipper maintained that he had no intention of hurting anyone when he and his friends threw a dodgeball at a girl during a warm-up session at Mayer High School, located about an hour from Phoenix, in December 2025.
“I didn’t think dodgeball would be painful,” Schipper remarked, noting the ball’s small size and ability to compress. He spoke to AZ Family on Wednesday.
A social worker informed the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office a few days after the event, claiming the boys had “relentlessly assaulted” the girl when she exited the bathroom.
Reports indicated that the girl was hospitalized with considerable bruising on her upper right rib cage and lower right abdomen.
According to the boys, they were just preparing for the dodgeball game when they targeted her, insisting they meant no harm.
Schipper acknowledged throwing a dodgeball that hit his ex-girlfriend, but another boy missed his throw, and a third boy admitted he also hit her.
“You have to pick someone and throw the ball to them,” the 13-year-old explained, justifying the nature of the game.
His mother, Cecily Schipper, expressed surprise at the police questioning and mentioned that Abel only learned about the charges when he received a letter from the Yavapai County Juvenile Justice Center informing him of the misdemeanor assault charge.
“It’s completely ridiculous. Every kid plays this game at some point,” she said.
Cecily expressed disbelief that authorities consider dodgeball a weapon. She stated that while she understands her son should face consequences for his actions, she believes this situation has escalated disproportionately.
She also revealed that after the incident, the girl texted her asking for a ride home, which she found peculiar since she was friends with her mother.
The case is set to be reviewed by a judge on August 17.
This isn’t the first time dodgeball-related incidents have led to legal repercussions. For instance, a young boy in Michigan was charged in 2019 for allegedly throwing a dodgeball that caused a student’s concussion. Ultimately, the charges were dropped after review.
