10
Loading video...
By Steven Frank
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
One child and one adult were killed Saturday after a vehicle drove onto a youth soccer field at Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita, Kansas, local law enforcement said.
Police identified those killed as a 6-year-old boy and a 35-year-old man, both from McPherson. Dozens of emergency vehicles responded on Saturday afternoon after a pickup truck allegedly plowed onto the field, police said.
Wichita Police Captain Aaron Moses said the driver was a 34-year-old woman from Garden City who remained in police custody and had been cooperative with investigators. Two unidentified juveniles were also inside the truck when the incident occurred. The woman's child was also playing soccer at the sports complex but was not on the field where the incident occurred.
Read More on News
Police said Sedgwick County 911 began receiving calls around 3:25 p.m. local time reporting that a vehicle had driven through a soccer game.
Eleven Others Taken to Hospitals
Ten other people were hospitalized with traumatic injuries, including five children. Moses said those injuries ranged from minor to “extremely severe,” but were believed to be non-life-threatening. Another woman was hospitalized for a non-traumatic medical issue.
A witness who spoke to KWCH said they were working the gate for flag football when they heard what sounded like a vehicle “going over and crashing into a whole bunch of things.”
The witness said an off-duty firefighter who had been handing out programs ran toward the scene and returned with blood on his hands, prompting nurses and others who could help to run toward the scene. The witness also described parents “frantically looking for kids.”
Police said there was no further threat to the public.
Moses described the incident as a tragedy for everyone involved, including first responders, and said mental health assistance was being offered to those affected.
...
Police Investigating How and Why Truck Entered Field
Moses said investigators were still working to determine how and why the truck entered the soccer field. More than 30 witnesses had been interviewed by Saturday evening.
Police said surveillance video exists at the facility and that Stryker Sports Complex has been cooperating with investigators. Detectives plan to review available video and still images, conduct additional interviews and attempt to piece together how the incident happened and why.
Investigators will then work with the district attorney to determine whether criminal charges are appropriate, Moses said. The driver remained in custody.
"The Wichita Police Department remains on scene investigating the circumstances surrounding this incident," an update from the department said. "At this time, two individuals, an adult and a child, have been confirmed dead at the scene. Multiple other casualties have been transported to area hospitals. This remains an active investigation. Additional information will be released as details are confirmed. Please follow our official social media channels for accurate and verified updates."
Wichita Police also asked members of the public to submit any video related to the incident, saying they wanted footage even if people believed it might be insignificant.
Police also asked anyone with information to contact investigators as detectives continue gathering evidence from the scene and witnesses.
Wichita police officers, other local law enforcement personnel, the Wichita Fire Department and Sedgwick County EMS responded to the incident.
Stryker Sports Complex is located in northeast Wichita, near North Greenwich Road.
Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines