A high school basketball game in West Virginia has led to felony charges after an 18-year-old player allegedly broke another student’s nose with a violent elbow during play.
Gage Ketterman, a student and athlete at Harman School, is facing three felony charges — one count of malicious assault and two counts of attempted malicious assault — after a February game against Union High School turned violent, according to court documents.
The incident came to light when the injured player’s mother reported the assault to West Virginia State Police on February 27, several hours after the game.
She said her son was elbowed in the face so hard that he bled for more than four hours and required hospital treatment.
Video footage from the game confirmed the allegation, showing Ketterman striking the Union player directly in the face with his elbow, police said. The video also allegedly captured Ketterman hitting other players in the back of the head throughout the game and taunting them.
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In a disturbing detail, officers noted that after the elbow strike, Ketterman appeared to wipe something off his elbow, further suggesting intent. Police described his actions as “intentional and criminally malicious.”
Because Ketterman is 18 years old, he is being charged as an adult. He was arrested last Monday and later released on a $12,500 bond the same day, court records from the West Virginia Magistrate Court system confirmed.
The case has sparked concern among parents and school officials, raising tough questions about sportsmanship, accountability, and where the line is drawn between rough play and criminal behavior.
No statement has been issued by Harman School or Ketterman’s legal representatives.
As the case heads to court, it remains to be seen how the justice system will handle what began as a high school basketball game — but ended with a hospital visit and felony charges.
