An individual from Ohio has been taken into custody for allegedly hurling a sex toy during a WNBA match in New York, as per police reports released on Thursday. This incident marks the most recent in a series of disruptions where similar items were thrown at WNBA games nationwide, leading to three known arrests.
Charles Burgess, a 32-year-old from Dayton, Ohio, was apprehended on Wednesday for purportedly tossing an object during the Dallas Wings vs. New York Liberty game on August 5. The object struck a 12-year-old girl, resulting in Burgess facing two assault charges.
Legal representation status for Burgess remains unclear at the moment. Comparable disturbances occurred during games in Atlanta on July 29 and August 1, Los Angeles and Phoenix on August 5, and Chicago on August 1 and August 7.
Some of these objects reached the court, causing game delays, while others landed in the audience. In Phoenix, an 18-year-old was arrested after a sex toy incident. The individual claimed it was a trending social media prank and had purchased the toy a day prior to the game. A volunteer at the arena tackled him after witnessing the act and followed him as he attempted to exit the venue.
The man in this case was arrested on suspicion of assault, disorderly conduct, and publicly displaying explicit material. Another man was also arrested in Georgia for two similar incidents at Atlanta Dream games. Charges against him include disorderly conduct, criminal trespassing, public indecency, and indecent exposure, all considered misdemeanors in Georgia.
The man informed police that the act was intended as a viral joke. In a separate incident, a sex toy nearly struck Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham on the court in Los Angeles. The WNBA has declared that individuals throwing objects onto the court will be ejected and face a minimum one-year ban from attending games.
Reports have linked these incidents to a group associated with a related Cryptocurrency meme coin. The league is taking strict measures to address such disruptions.