This is the fourth “stupid prank” that has occurred at a WNBA match in the last two weeks, according to police, after an Arizona minor was detained for hurling a sex object into the crowd during a Phoenix Mercury game.
According to court documents, 18-year-old Kaden Lopez was charged with disorderly conduct, assault, and public display of graphic sexual material after he allegedly tossed a green sex toy into seats in front of him during Tuesday’s Hartford Sun game at PHX Arena.
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According to authorities, the item struck a man and his niece, who is nine years old. According to Maricopa County documents, the incident was captured on camera, which purportedly showed Lopez take the item out of his sweatshirt, toss it, and then walk away.
According to the paperwork, a witness tackled him and kept him on the ground until the police came.
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The man who was struck by the toy claimed that as he and his niece were watching the game, he felt something strike him in the back of the head and watched it fall to the ground beside them.
Lopez apologized profusely to detectives and claimed he was only following the obscene trend.
According to court filings, he told investigators it was just a dumb joke that was popular on social media.
Lopez claimed that he intended to bring the sex item to the game after purchasing it the day before. According to court documents, he stated that he had no intention of hitting anyone or letting the object land near a child.
The WNBA, PHX Arena, and the individual who was struck by the object sought to file charges.
According to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, a Maricopa County Superior Court Commissioner on Thursday found no probable cause for the felony charge of public display of explicit sexual material. However, the commissioner is proposing that the city prosecutor be charged with the other misdemeanor charges.
Lopez was permitted to leave the arena on the proviso that he would not be permitted to see the victims again or speak to them. August 25 is the date of his preliminary hearing.
Whether he has hired legal counsel is not immediately apparent.
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“Our league places a high premium on everyone’s safety and wellbeing in our arenas. According to a WNBA representative on Thursday, “any kind of object thrown onto the court or in the seating area can pose a safety risk for players, game officials, and fans.”
According to the spokesperson, any fan who willfully throws an object onto the court will be evicted, face an arrest and prosecution, and be banned for at least a year.
The arrest is the most recent in a series of instances involving objects being thrown during WNBA games.
During the Golden State Valkyries-Atlanta Dream game on July 29, a fan threw a bright green sex item onto the floor at Gateway Center in College Park, Georgia.
In that instance, 23-year-old Carver Delbert was taken into custody and accused of criminal trespass, public obscenity, and disorderly behavior.
One minute before the Atlanta-Dream-Phoenix Mercury game ended, a security guard at Gateway Center spotted Delbert video himself while flinging a sex toy in the middle of the court, leading to his arrest on August 1.
He attempted to flee after throwing the object, but he was taken into custody.
Later, he informed officers, According to the arrest records, this was supposed to be a prank that would go viral.
Additionally, Delbert informed the officer that on July 29, while he and his pals were at the Atlanta Dream game, they hurled a sex object during play and then ran away. That incident is related to the charges.
Then, on Friday, at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, a similar occurrence occurred during the third quarter of Golden State’s game versus the Chicago Sky.
Then, on Tuesday evening, a gadget was thrown from the bleachers and fell onto the Crypto.com floor.landing close to Fever guard Sophie Cunningham’s feet during the Indiana Fever vs. Los Angeles Sparks game.
It’s absurd, in my opinion. It’s stupid. After the game, Sparks coach Lynne Roberts told reporters, “It’s stupid.” Additionally, it’s risky, and the safety of the participants comes first. honoring the game. All of those things. It’s extremely dumb, in my opinion. I’m going to stop there.
