Woman facing numerous charges for attacks on teens at skating rink

A Titusville woman is facing charges for attacking and threatening three teenagers at the Skate Capital skating rink on Salina Road in Cranberry Township.

Franklin state police said Caitlyn Gibson, 18, initially targeted a 14-year-old girl and a 13-year-old boy who were “sitting together as a couple” on the evening of Nov. 6. Police said Gibson approached the pair and told the couple the “skating rink wasn’t a strip club” before she spat on them, police said.

Gibson later approached the couple again near the bathrooms, told them to “stop” and spit on the boy again, police said. The boy spat back at Gibson, who then grabbed him by the throat and choked him until he was able to push her away, according to police.

Police said Gibson then followed the girl into the bathrooms where she again spat on the girl, who then slapped Gibson. Gibson then “beat (the girl) to the ground” and repeatedly hit and kicked the girl in the head, police said.

The girl was later taken to UPMC Northwest and diagnosed with a concussion, according to police.

Later that evening, Gibson damaged a locker door after removing a bag of skates in view of another 14-year-old girl, police said. After the girl told Gibson to “calm down,” Gibson swung the bag of skates over the girl’s head and struck her in the face, police said.

Gibson then told the girl to “shut up” or she “would be next,” according to police.

That girl was also diagnosed with a concussion at UPMC Northwest, police said.

After the owner of Skate Capital was made aware of the fights, he instructed Gibson to leave, police said. Gibson refused to leave twice, but eventually she did so after the owner walked her and her skates off the property, police said.

She later came back and damaged the main door of the building with her skates, police said. Police said she then “forced her way through three to five employees” and re-entered the building.

Gibson was charged with felony counts of aggravated assault-attempts to cause or causes bodily injury with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault-attempts to cause or causes serious bodily injury with extreme indifference and criminal trespass, four misdemeanor counts of simple assault and misdemeanor counts of trespass, stalking, strangulation, criminal mischief, harassment and disorderly conduct.

She hasn’t been arraigned, and a preliminary hearing hasn’t been scheduled.