Arrest Made After Sex Toy Incident at Mercury Game

An 18-year-old man was arrested after allegedly throwing a green sex toy into the crowd during a Phoenix Mercury game.

Arrest Made After Sex Toy Thrown at Phoenix Mercury Game

PHOENIX — An 18-year-old man, Kaden Lopez, was arrested after allegedly throwing a green sex toy into the crowd during Tuesday night’s Phoenix Mercury game against the Connecticut Sun at PHX Arena. He took the object from his sweater pocket and hurled it from his seat before leaving the area. An arena volunteer tackled him and held him until police arrived.

The toy struck a man in the back and landed next to his 9-year-old niece. Lopez apologized and told police he was copying a prank he had seen trending on social media. He faces counts of assault and disorderly conduct; an obscene material charge was dismissed for lack of probable cause. He was released on his own recognizance with a court date set for Aug. 21. PHX Arena and WNBA officials have said they want this case prosecuted.

This incident highlights how social media stunts can quickly spill into real life in public spaces. A quick crowd response by a trained arena volunteer helped contain the situation and limit harm. The charges show a firm stance against disruptive acts in venues that host large crowds.

Beyond this case, the pattern across multiple cities points to a larger challenge for sports venues. Leagues may need clearer policies on spectator conduct and more visible deterrents to deter copycat pranks that could threaten safety or trigger emotional reactions from bystanders and families.

Highlights

Cases like this test how fast online trends translate into real world consequences.