Charleston man arrested after allegedly making terrorist threat at Cape SportsPlex

By NATHAN GLADDEN

Southeast Missourian

CAPE GIRARDEAU — Cape Girardeau Police Department officers arrested a man for allegedly making a terrorist threat Sunday afternoon, Feb. 2, at the SportsPlex.

Mackenzie Ivy, 32, of Charleston, a coach of a visiting basketball team, was allegedly involved in an altercation with another visiting team’s coach.

According to a Cape Girardeau SportsPlex Facebook post, the altercation took place during a travel basketball rental tournament game. “The game was stopped and the two coaches were asked to exit the facility,” the post states. “As a precautionary measure, all other games were paused until the two opposing coaches left the building at which time the rental tournament and other facility activities resumed.”

A Cape Girardeau Police Department news release states that when officers arrived at the SportsPlex, they observed people leaving the facility while “panicked”. Several witnesses told police that “approximately fifty spectators” were involved in the physical altercation.

The release states witnesses said the fight was broken up and Ivy stated, “I’ll shoot this place up”, and left the SportsPlex. According to the document, Ivy was found hiding in his vehicle in the parking lot, and officers found a 9 mm handgun in the vehicle.

The SportsPlex’s Facebook post states, “It has been confirmed that there was no weapon inside the Sportsplex and no shots were fired inside or outside of the facility.”

Ivy is being held in lieu of a $50,000 bond.

During the City Council meeting Monday night, Feb. 3, chief of police Adam Glueck said he thinks the police officers did a good job responding to the event and arresting the suspect.

“This type of behavior will not be tolerated, and we take all threats of violence seriously at the Cape Girardeau Police Department,” Glueck said. “If anyone has any information to add to that incident or any law enforcement related incidents, please contact us. Don’t assume just by posting in social media that we know what happened.”

During the meeting, Mayor Stacy Kinder aimed her attention on “false and misleading statements” made on social media about the incident. She said some even falsely claimed the city was hiding information about the incident.

Kinder said some of those false statements included gun shots being fired in the SportsPlex or people getting shot.

“The City of Cape has been and is currently engaged in examining the safety protocols and possible enhancements needed at our venues and our tournaments and any other event that’s happening,” Kinder said. “We’ll give the public much more information about all that later this week. We are committed to having excellent facilities and events in our city in which both community members and visitors alike will have confidence in their safety.”