Police have arrested a Texas man, Michael Lewis, aged 55, on charges of stalking WNBA star Caitlin Clark. The allegations stem from a series of threatening and sexually explicit messages Lewis sent to Clark via social media. He was apprehended on Sunday at an Indianapolis hotel, the city where the Indiana Fever, Clark's team, plays.
Investigators traced Lewis's communications to his location after identifying the threatening messages he sent through X (formerly Twitter), which included boasts about driving past Clark's residence multiple times and intentions to secure game tickets. Court documents reveal that the messages were exchanged between December 16 and January 2. Clark, the anticipated 2024 WNBA rookie of the year, had already reported these interactions to law enforcement, expressing fears for her safety, leading her to alter her public appearance.
According to ESPN, Clark informed authorities about Lewis's behavior prior to his arrival in Indianapolis. Prosecutors noted that the messages "caused Caitlin Clark to feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated, or threatened." Lewis was located by the FBI after they tracked the originating IP addresses of his messages back to a downtown Indianapolis hotel. Upon questioning, he claimed his messages were merely jokes or fantasy and not meant as threats.
Marion County prosecutor Ryan Mears emphasized the bravery it takes for victims to speak out against such harassment, highlighting Clark's example as indicative of the challenges women face in similar situations. This troubling case follows another recent incident where a man from Oregon was arrested for stalking college basketball player Paige Bueckers, underscoring a growing concern regarding safety for female athletes.
