18-year-old arrested at Mercury game after jumping on viral sex toy ‘trend'
The WNBA in recent days has seen multiple incidents of sex toys being thrown on-court. The 'trend' began with an Atlanta Dream game on July 29, with multiple incidents having been reported ever since.
The latest incident took place during a recent game between the Phoenix Mercury and the Connecticut Sun at the PHX Arena. 18-year-old Kaden Lopez was arrested after allegedly throwing a sex toy into the crowd, which then struck a man and his 9-year-old niece.
Lopez now faces multiple charges including disorderly conduct, assault, and public display of explicit sexual material. Video footage reviewed by Phoenix police shows Lopez pulling a green toy from his sweater pocket and tossing it forward, where it hit the back of an adult male before landing beside his young niece, per FOX10
The victim, who was watching the game with the child, confirmed he wished to press charges after realizing what the object was. A volunteer at the arena reportedly followed Lopez as he attempted to leave, tackling him and detaining him until officers arrived.
Court documents reveal Lopez admitted to the act, calling it a 'stupid prank that was trending on social media.' The purchase was made the day prior with the intent of bringing it to the game.
The Mercury game incident marks the fifth reported sex toy incident at a WNBA game in just over a week. Previous cases include toys being thrown on the court during games in Atlanta (July 29), Chicago (August 1), and Los Angeles (also August 5), where Indiana Fever's Sophie Cunningham was nearly struck during live play.
Cunningham had previously used social media to plead with fans to stop the trend, calling it both dangerous and disrespectful. The WNBA, along with PHX Arena officials, has condemned the acts and is pushing for full prosecution in Lopez's case.
The league reiterated its policy that any guest who throws an object will be immediately ejected, face a minimum one-year ban, and potentially face arrest.
'The safety and well-being of everyone in our arenas is a top priority,' the WNBA stated, calling thrown objects a direct threat to players, officials, and fans. The Maricopa County Attorney's Office will determine how the case proceeds.
Related: Geno Auriemma reveals 'unfortunate' thing about Diana Taurasi's Mercury career
Related: Diana Taurasi gets 'raw' about Olympic benching
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