A woman drove a truck through a soccer field during a youth game at a Wichita, Kansas, sports complex on Saturday afternoon, killing a 6-year-old boy and a 35-year-old man and sending 11 other people to the hospital, police said.
The 34 year old driver is in custody. Police have not said whether they believe the crash was intentional.
“We are still working to determine how this happened and why this happened,” Wichita Police Capt. Aaron Moses said. Police said there is no further threat to the public.
What We Know So Far
People began calling 911 shortly before 3:30 p.m., saying a vehicle had driven through a game at the Stryker Soccer Complex, Moses said. Kansas Highway Patrol officers, Sedgwick County sheriff’s deputies and police from nearby Bel Aire arrived to find the boy and the man dead and bystanders tending to the injured.
Both of the dead were from McPherson and were not related. The driver, who is from Garden City, was still in the truck with two children. One of her children had a game at the complex, though on a different field from where the crash happened, Moses said.
The injured include five children between 5 and 9 years old and five men and women between 28 and 68. Their injuries range from bruises to severe wounds, but police believe none are life threatening. A 61 year old woman was also hospitalized with medical issues unrelated to trauma.
The Stryker Sports Complex is a city facility with 11 turf fields used for “all sports.” The city has canceled all events there for now, and the Kansas State High School Activities Association suspended its flag football state championship and its other matches through the weekend.
What Authorities Are Saying
The driver has been cooperative so far, Moses told an evening news conference. Police Chief Joe Sullivan said that before first responders arrived, people at the scene “sprang into action” to give lifesaving help. “It was truly amazing,” he said. “But I think it’s indicative of the Wichita community.”
Mayor Lily Wu asked people to avoid the area during the investigation and called the news heartbreaking. “My thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected, especially the children and families involved,” she wrote on Facebook.
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said she is monitoring the situation and offered state resources to Wu. She sent condolences to the victims’ families and said she was very grateful to first responders.
Police asked anyone with video of the crash to upload it for investigators.
Differing Accounts
The two outlets count the victims slightly differently. The AP said 11 other victims were sent to the hospital, with ages from 5 to 68. NBC News said 10 people were injured, and listed a separate 61 year old woman hospitalized for non traumatic medical issues, which brings the total to 11 hospitalized. The accounts do not conflict, but they treat that last patient differently.
Why This Matters
The crash happened at a city facility built for families, during a weekend of youth sports. Police have not said whether it was intentional, and that answer will shape how the case is handled.
The fallout reached beyond Wichita: the state flag football championship was suspended, and every event at the complex is canceled for now.
What Happens Next
Investigators are working to learn how and why the truck went onto the field, and police are collecting video from the public. The injured are being treated, and the driver remains in custody. Authorities have not said what charges she may face.
Sources: the Associated Press and NBC News
