INDIANAPOLIS — Indy police are investigating the viral incident where Bucks guard Patrick Beverley threw a ball into the stands during a playoff game last week, hitting a Pacers fan in the head.
Video posted on social media and captured on live TV last Thursday shows Beverley throwing a ball at Indiana fans sitting behind the Milwaukee bench during Game 6 of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Initially, the ball thrown by Beverley strikes a woman sitting near the court in her head. A fan sitting near the woman then lobs the ball back to the Bucks point guard before Beverley again throws an aggressive chest pass into the stands.
Beverley then takes a seat. He appears to jaw with some other fans in the crowd. The incident led security at the venue to intervene. The point guard never again entered the game, with the Pacers ultimately winning 120-98 to advance to the second round of the playoffs.
Now, we are learning that the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department is also investigating the incident between the fan and Beverley. An IMPD police report from May 2 confirms that an off-duty officer witnessed the interaction and that the department is now investigating.
IMPD officials confirmed this on Wednesday afternoon and said detectives are looking to follow up.
"The report has been forwarded to IMPD detectives, who are currently investigating this situation and take all accusations seriously," IMPD said in a statement. "Detectives are working with Gainbridge Fieldhouse to review video footage and plan to speak with the parties involved."
The department said that charges could then potentially be filed in Marion County once detectives conclude their investigation.
"Detectives will present the case to the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office at the conclusion of the investigation," IMPD said.
In addition to IMPD's investigation, the NBA itself has announced that it will be investigating Beverley and looking into potential fines and suspensions for the interaction.
For more on the incident, Beverley's other antics from the Game 6 loss and his eventual apology, click here.
Shams Charania, a renowned NBA Insider for The Athletic, was the first reporter to break the news of IMPD investigating Beverley on Wednesday.
Charania reported earlier in the week that the incident between the fan and Beverley escalated when the Bucks were breaking huddle Thursday night, and the fan yelled, "Cancún...Cancún on 3" in reference to Milwaukee facing imminent playoff elimination.
For his part, Beverley recently denied on his podcast that "Cancún on 3" was not the only thing said by the fans to anger and "disrespect" him. He did acknowledge the interaction was out of line and said it would never happen again.