UPDATE: Peters School District, Pritz Family Releases Statement Regarding WPIAL Incident

Editor's Note: This story was updated Thursday at 1:30 p.m.

Woodland Hills' Shakim Alonzo has been charged in a juvenile petition with assault for striking player Gabe Pritz on the head during the WPIAL first-round game, .

The  responded with this statement: 

This week a collaborative investigation between the Peters Township and the Woodland Hills School Districts resulted in an amicable resolution to issues resulting from the incident that took place during Saturday’s playoff game. Reports will be filed with WPIAL officials, and suitable discipline will be handled by each school as necessary.

While accusations have been made regarding the use of racial comments that could have led to the assault on the Peters Township player, accounts given by our coaches and players, as well as officials in the game, indicate that is not the case.

Racially insensitive language was overheard in the Peters Township locker room following the game, and the student who made the remarks has apologized to those who heard the remark and received disciplinary consequences from the District. Woodland Hills administrators have expressed regret and apologies for the behavior of their athletes during the game, and Peters Township has expressed the same for the behavior following the game. In both districts, proactive measures will be taken to better prepare their coaches and players moving forward.

Cal U  against Alonzo, 17, charging him with striking Pritz during a heated Class AAAA game at the university, Washington County District Attorney Gene Vittone told the O-R Thursday morning.

Vittone told the newspaper the assault did not appear to fall under any statutes that would have allowed police to charge Alonzo as an adult.

He declined further comment because of the student's age.

The Pritz family released this statement Thursday afternoon: 

The Pritz family, and especially Gabriel, is very grateful to his teammates, coaches and the Pittsburgh community for the outpouring of support shown following the injury sustained during the Peters Township-Woodland Hills basketball game on Saturday, February 18, 2012. Although we hoped this would be “old news” by this time, the continuing coverage has compelled us to issue this note of gratitude and clarification regarding Gabe’s role in the incident.

No words were exchanged between Gabe and Shakim the entire game. They competed cleanly and intensely through 3 ½ quarters of play. In Shakim’s own words in his apology to Gabriel he stated, “You were a cool dude on the court I had no problem with, therefore I had no reason to hit you.” The McKeesport Daily News having spoken directly to Shakim reported that 'Alonzo said Pritz was not his intended target.' He expressed this previously in his statement to the California University Police.

Gabe did not hear any racial slur from either team during the contest and certainly he didn’t make any. He is a victim in an unfortunate incident.

We remain watchful of Gabriel’s health and healing and are so grateful that he was not more severely hurt during this incident. We continue to pray for Shakim and his family as we are certain this has been a difficult time for them. And we hope the broader community can now focus on the conclusion of the WPIAL Basketball Playoffs as Gabriel just wants to get back to being a student and a basketball player. Go Indians!

The Indians face Central Catholic at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday at Canon-McMillan High School in the next playoff round.