A brawl involving players at a youth street hockey game in New Jersey took a turn for the worst after several adults got involved in an altercation of their own, leading to multiple charges, according to law enforcement.
During the Veterans Memorial Invitational Tournament in Egg Harbor Township, which is about eight miles outside Atlantic City, a fight broke out between players on the Maple Shade Cadet and Frenzy Cadet teams.
Video of the fight obtained by Fox News Digital shows the players shoving and throwing punches as game officials attempt to break it up. Chaos quickly ensues as players leave their respective benches.
Several adults also rush over to break up the fighting, but video surveillance soon shows those adults fighting with one another, with two wrestling to the ground.
Egg Harbor Township Police Department announced Thursday that three adults were charged in connection with the incident: Colleen Biddle, 41, of Philadelphia, Robert Schafer, 38, of Maple Shade, New Jersey, and Justin Pacheco, 38, of Philadelphia.
All three were charged with simple assault and disorderly conduct and were given summonses to appear in court.
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The American Ball Hockey Alliance (ABHA) released a statement condemning the behavior.
“First and foremost, we want to emphasize that this type of behavior is NOT representative of normal street/dek hockey play, and violence is NEVER condoned in our sport. The ABHA maintains a strict code of conduct that all players, coaches, and organizations must adhere to, with severe penalties for those who engage in violent actions. Additionally, we take the role of spectators very seriously and impose appropriate sanctions for those whose behavior as fans is disruptive or inflammatory.”
The ABHA added that the organization has launched its own internal investigation and will implement its own disciplinary actions. Both teams were suspended from the tournament and the coach of the Maple Shade Cadet team was suspended from the league.
“It is important to note that this incident was instigated by out-of-town teams and, as such, does not reflect the values or behavior of the host facility, Egg Harbor Township Street Hockey, their teams, or their families,” their statement added.
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