The Bloomington Police Department arrested IU basketball freshman forward Mackenzie Mgbako around 3 a.m. Sunday morning on two Class A misdemeanor charges.
Mgbako was booked into the Monroe County Correctional Center Sunday on charges of criminal trespass and resisting law enforcement, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Jeff Brown said in an email.
BPD Captain Ryan Pedigo said in an email that BPD officers responded to the Taco Bell located at 3001 E. Third Street at 2:15 a.m., after the restaurant’s management reported a man – later identified as Mgbako – was refusing to leave the property. The restaurant was refusing to serve Mgbako, who was in a vehicle in the drive through, because he was cursing and being rude to the Taco Bell employees, restaurant management told the officers.
When officers made contact with Mgbako, he refused to identify himself but told them he was 18-years-old, Pedigo said. Mgbako moved his vehicle out of the drive through and into a Taco Bell parking space at the request of the officers. Mgbako failed to comply with the officers’ demands for him to leave the Taco Bell property for about 15 minutes, keeping the windows on his vehicle closed. Pedigo said that at one point, Mgbako started to drive out of the parking lot, but then reversed his vehicle and reparked.
After those 15 minutes, Pedigo said officers determined Mgbako would be arrested for trespassing. However, Mgbako then moved his vehicle to a nearby parking lot and parked again. When officers approached Mgbako to advise him that he was under arrest and needed to exit his vehicle, he refused to do so. Officers then used a baton to break the passenger side window of the vehicle and unlock the doors. They opened Mgbako’s door and gave him commands to exit the driver’s seat, which he refused to do, Pedigo said.
After forcibly removing him from the car, Mgbako reportedly tensed his arms and would not allow officers to place him in handcuffs. Officers eventually placed him in handcuffs and transported him to the Monroe County Jail.
According to the Monroe County Correctional Center arrest summary, Mgmako’s bond was set at a required amount of $1,000 with an optional amount of $500. The Indianapolis Star reported the freshman posted bond at 5:25 a.m. Sunday and has been released.
According to IU Athletics Assistant Director for Media Relations Charlie Duffy, IU Athletics is aware of the situation.
"We will continue to gather facts, cooperate with and monitor the legal process, and take further action as the evolving situation warrants," Duffy said in an email.
The Indiana Daily Student reported Mgbako committed to Indiana’s men’s basketball in May. Mgbako was a five-star recruit who originally committed to Duke University and later chose IU’s program over the University of Kansas.
This story will be updated.
