Second Arrest Made for Throwing Sex Toy at WNBA Game, Striking Man and His 9-Year-Old Niece

A second man has been arrested for tossing a green sex toy at a WNBA game, part of a growing trend with five known incidents. Kaden Lopez, 18, was caught on video throwing the object during a Phoenix Mercury game against the Connecticut Sun. The toy struck a fan sitting with his 9-year-old niece but didn’t reach the court.

Lopez now faces charges for disorderly conduct and assault, as well as for displaying explicit material in public. He later apologized, calling it a “stupid prank” inspired by social media. Interestingly, he bought the toy just days before the game. The man hit by the toy insists on pursuing prosecution, as do the WNBA and the arena operators.

This incident isn’t isolated. The first known occurrence happened on July 29 at a game between the Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream. Since then, similar objects have been hurled at games involving the Chicago Sky and the Los Angeles Sparks. On the same night as the Sparks’ game, toys were also thrown during a New York Liberty game, though those stayed in the stands.

All these acts seem to involve different individuals. Delbert Carver, 23, who threw a toy at the Atlanta game, has been arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and public indecency but isn’t connected to the incident in Chicago.

The WNBA has made it clear that such behavior won’t be tolerated. Fans engaging in similar antics face immediate ejection and potential legal consequences, along with at least a year-long ban from games. While some players reacted with amusement, others, including Indiana Fever’s Sophie Cunningham, expressed concern for safety.

Sparks coach Lynne Roberts criticized these actions as “ridiculous” and highlighted the importance of player safety and respect for the game. This reminds us of past incidents in other sports, such as the throwing of sex toys at Buffalo Bills games, which raised similar safety concerns.

These events have sparked discussions about security at WNBA games. Though no immediate changes have been announced, the threat of prosecution might serve as a deterrent in the future.

For more detailed reports on similar incidents in sports, you can check out sources like Fox 10 Phoenix and Cleveland.com.

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