MEADVILLE — Four adults and three teenagers are facing charges for their accused actions in a fight that broke out during a high school basketball playoff game on Friday.
The fight in the Meadville Area Senior High gymnasium broke out during a game between Meadville and Uniontown with about three minutes left in the fourth quarter after a technical foul was called on a Uniontown player. A review of the incident led the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association to record the game as a forfeiture by both schools, ending both of their seasons, and sanctions were placed on both schools.
Meadville Police Chief Michael Stefanucci, in a news release issued Wednesday afternoon, announced that seven people were facing charges in connection with the fight.
The three juveniles who are facing charges are 16 years old and are from Meadville. Two are facing one count of disorderly conduct, while the third is facing simple assault, harassment and disorderly conduct, according to the release.
Also facing charges, according to Stefanucci, are a 44-year-old Uniontown man, who faces simple assault, harassment and disorderly conduct charges; an 18-year-old Uniontown man, who faces disorderly conduct; a 25-year-old Meadville man, who faces disorderly conduct; and a 37-year-old Meadville man, who faces disorderly conduct.
The Erie Times-News typically does not identify suspects unless charged with felony or high-grade misdemeanor offenses.
Stefanucci wrote that Meadville police officers who were in attendance during Friday’s game called for assistance after the fight broke out, and upon the arrival of others the situation was quickly brought under control with no serious injuries reported.
Stefanucci thanked Crawford Central School District employees who assisted police during the incident. He also thanked “the large majority of players and spectators that acted responsibly” during the incident.
Contact Tim Hahn at thahn@timesnews.com. Follow him on X @ETNhahn.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Fight during playoff basketball game leads police to charge seven