In Brooklyn, New York, police are asking for help in identifying a man accused of throwing adult toys at a 12-year-old girl during a Liberty game earlier this month. The NYPD Crime Stoppers shared a video on social media on Friday, showing the suspect who was involved in the incident that took place on August 5th.
The report indicates that the man “threw an object that struck the young girl in her right leg.” Over the last couple of weeks, there have been at least six incidents involving adult toys being thrown at WNBA games. The first instance happened in Atlanta on July 29, followed by cases in Chicago and Los Angeles, with Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham reportedly involved in one of the incidents.
In another occurrence, adult toys were thrown during a game between New York and Phoenix last Tuesday, although these did not seem to hit anyone. An 18-year-old man was arrested in Phoenix concerning that event, and a Georgia man was taken into custody for the Atlanta incident.
Amid this ongoing confusion, Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve mentioned that the sexualization of women in sports is problematic. While a WNBA spokesperson said they are conducting an investigation in collaboration with law enforcement, it appears they’re taking a strong stance against such behavior. They’ve talked about pursuing legal actions against offenders.
The WNBA expressed that the well-being of everyone at their events is paramount. They are committed to working closely with local and federal law enforcement to address these issues, which include arresting those responsible for any reckless actions. Interestingly, an anonymous group connected to a crypto organization has claimed responsibility for some of these incidents, though the WNBA has yet to comment on the truth of these claims.
