Latest news with #Kaden Lopez
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
18-year-old arrested at Mercury game after jumping on viral sex toy ‘trend'
The post 18-year-old arrested at Mercury game after jumping on viral sex toy 'trend' appeared first on ClutchPoints. 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
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
'It was just a stupid prank': Second person arrested for throwing sex toy at a WNBA game
An 18-year-old man has been arrested after the sex toy he allegedly threw during a WNBA game in Phoenix hit a man and possibly a young girl sitting in front of him. It is one of at least five recent incidents of such objects being thrown by fans at a WNBA game and the second so far to result in an arrest. Waddell, Ariz., resident Kaden Lopez was booked on suspicion of one felony count for public display of obscene materials and two misdemeanor counts for assault and disorderly conduct. He appeared in court Wednesday and was released on his own recognizance, with his next court appearance scheduled for Aug. 21. According to a probable cause statement filed by the arresting officer from the Phoenix Police Dept. and viewed by The Times, Lopez was attending the Mercury's game against the Connecticut Sun at PHX Arena on Tuesday when he "threw a green dildo towards the seats in front of him." Read more: Sex toy tossed onto court during Sparks win over Fever at Arena The statement initially indicates that the object allegedly struck an "adult male victim as well as the victims 9 year old niece." The document later states that the "male victim" told officers that the object hit him on the back and "then fell to the ground next to them." Lopez then attempted to leave the arena, the statement reads, but an arena volunteer who witnessed the alleged incident followed him, tackled him and waited for authorities to arrive. According to the statement, Lopez told the arresting officers that he bought the toy the previous day to take with him to the game but had not intended for it to "hit anyone" or "fall next to a child." "Lopez stated he was very sorry, that it was just a stupid prank that was trending on social media," the statement added. Read more: WNBA players call out officiating, but league officials trust their process The trend of throwing sex toys — seemingly always colored green — at WNBA games appears to have started July 29, when one of the objects was tossed onto the court while the Golden State Valkyries played the Atlanta Dream at Gateway Center Arena. The WNBA announced Saturday that "the subject involved in the incident in Atlanta has been arrested.' According to an ESPN report, 23-year-old Delbert Carver was arrested on Saturday by College Park, Ga., police in connection with that incident. Carver allegedly told police that the stunt was meant as a joke to go viral. Court records show that Carver faces counts of criminal trespass, disorderly conduct and public indecency. He was released on bond for an undisclosed amount on Sunday and was scheduled to appear in court the following day. On Aug. 1, a sex toy was tossed under the basket during a game between the Valkyries and the Chicago Sky. Then, during the Sparks' win over the Indiana Fever at Arena on Tuesday, another such object landed in the paint near Fever guard Sophie Cunningham with 2:05 remaining in the first half. Read more: WNBA players embrace continuously growing tunnel walk fashion An fan video also appears to show one of the objects being thrown toward the court and nearly hitting a child while the Dallas Wings played the New York Liberty at Barclays Center on Tuesday. According to a USA Today report Thursday, a cryptocurrency group is claiming responsibility for some of the incidents, although it says neither Lopez nor Carver is affiliated with the group. The "pranks" are part of a protest against the "toxic" environment in the crypto world, according to the report, and more such stunts have allegedly been planned. The WNBA declined to comment for this article and instead referred The Times to a statement it released Saturday. 'The safety and well-being of everyone in our arenas is a top priority for our league," the league stated. "Objects of any kind thrown onto the court or in the seating area can pose a safety risk for players, game officials, and fans. In line with WNBA Arena Security Standards, any fan who intentionally throws an object onto the court will be immediately ejected and face a minimum one-year ban in addition to being subject to arrest and prosecution by local authorities." Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Daily Mail
18-year-old arrested over latest WNBA sex toy incident after Sophie Cunningham became victim of bizarre trend
Another fan has been arrested for throwing a sex toy at a WNBA game as the disturbing epidemic continues. Kaden Lopez, 18, was booked into jail on suspicion of disorderly conduct, assault and public display of explicit sexual material following the game between the Mercury and Sun on Tuesday, Fox 10 Phoenix has reported. While the toy did not reach the court, it allegedly hit an adult male victim who was attending the game with his nine-year-old niece, according to a court document. The moment of Lopez throwing the object, described as a 'green dildo', was captured on video, and the teen was tackled by an arena volunteer before being detained by police. Lopez allegedly apologized for the act, saying it was 'stupid prank that was trending on social media.' It is also alleged in court documents that he bought the toy on Monday - just one day before the game. Nonetheless, it is said that the man who was hit by the toy 'desires prosecution.' Sex toys have now been thrown on WNBA courts at least five times this season, as Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham was also hit by one in a separate incident on Tuesday. Cunningham had previously spoken out about the trend online, writing: 'stop throwing dildos on the court… you're going to hurt one of us.' Lopez's arrest comes after Georgia man Delbert Carver, 23, was charged with disorderly conduct, public indecency/indecent exposure, and criminal trespass for his actions at two Atlanta Dream games. Police said that Carver was arrested after throwing a sex toy onto the court during the Dream's win over the visiting Mercury on Friday. Carver also allegedly confessed to police that he was involved in a similar incident in Atlanta's July 29 loss to the visiting Golden State Valkyries - a shocking moment that went viral last week. Carver was released from Clayton County Jail in Jonesboro on Sunday, according to public records. The Dream did not respond to multiple requests for comment from the Daily Mail, while the Valkyries declined comment. However, the WNBA did speak out following Carver's arrest over the weekend. 'The safety and well-being of everyone in our arenas is a top priority for our league,' read the statement. 'Objects of any kind thrown onto the court or in the seating area can pose a safety risk for players, game officials, and fans. 'In line with WNBA Arena Security Standards, any fan who intentionally throws an object onto the court will be immediately ejected and face a minimum one-year ban in addition to being subject to arrest and prosecution by local authorities.' Carver's actions were followed by similar situations at another Valkyries road game on Friday against the Chicago Sky, before Cunningham was hit by an erotic projectile tossed onto the court by a spectator in LA on Tuesday. In a statement provided to the Daily Mail, the Sparks said: 'Incidents of this nature are taken seriously, as they pose a risk to players, officials, and others on the court. We are working with arena personnel to identify the individual responsible and ensure appropriate action is taken. 'Fan conduct that disrupts the game or compromises the safety of anyone in the arena will not be tolerated.' Chicago police, meanwhile, told ESPN that the department has no record of any calling to make a complaint, meaning it's unlikely any arrests will be made in that case. 'It's super disrespectful,' Sky center Elizabeth Williams told reporters Friday. 'I don't really get the point of it. It's really immature. Whoever is doing it needs to grow up.'
