YAVAPAI COUNTY, Arizona — A 13-year-old boy is facing a misdemeanor assault charge for something that happened in a gym class dodgeball game — and his mother cannot believe it has gone this far.
Abel Schipper, an eighth grader at Mayer High School, is accused of targeting his ex-girlfriend with dodgeballs during a December 2025 PE class warm-up, leaving her hospitalized with painful injuries.
Now, months later, the case is headed to a judge.
What happened in that gym class
According to a police report, a social worker contacted the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office two days after the incident.
The social worker said Abel and two other eighth grade boys went after the girl as she walked out of the bathroom — right before a dodgeball warm-up had officially started.
The girl was left with softball-sized welts and bruises across her rib cage and abdomen.
Police interviewed all three boys. Each of them said they never meant to hurt anyone.
‘It’s dodgeball. You have to choose somebody’
Abel spoke directly to local outlet AZFamily about what happened.
“I throw it at her. I hit her,” he said. “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.”
“I didn’t want to hurt her at all,” he added.
He also described his relationship with the victim after their breakup.
“I wouldn’t say we were on good terms, but I also wouldn’t say we were on bad terms,” Abel said. “She used to hit me a lot and then she kind of just broke it off after that.”
His mother says her son is facing injustice
Cecily Schipper, Abel’s mom, is not holding back her frustration.
“It is absolutely ridiculous,” she told AZFamily. “This is a game that every kid in the nation plays at some point in their life.”
She also pointed out something she finds puzzling about the timeline.
“I have text messages from her asking for rides home after this incident happened in December,” Cecily said. “So it’s just strange.”
She stopped short of blaming the victim — but made clear she believes her son is not getting a fair shake.
“If it was a situation where boys will be boys, then he deserves punishment,” she said. “But I also think my son is getting injustice here when it comes to the court situation.”
What happens next
A judge is scheduled to hear Abel’s case on August 17.
It remains unclear whether the two other boys involved have also been charged. The school and the victim’s mother did not respond to requests for comment.
Do you think a dodgeball incident in gym class should lead to criminal charges — or does the full picture change things for you? Share your thoughts in the comments.