Deaths, injuries reported after vehicle strikes spectators at youth soccer game
Wichita emergency responders and city leaders were left grappling with a weekend tragedy after a pickup truck drove through a crowd watching a youth soccer game at Scheels Stryker Sports Complex on Saturday afternoon, killing two people and injuring 11 others, authorities said.
Wichita Police Capt. Aaron Moses said emergency crews received multiple calls about 3:25 p.m. reporting that a vehicle had driven through a soccer game on the complex grounds near 29th North and Greenwich Road. Officers arrived to find a truck on the west side of the field and multiple injured people.
"We are still working to determine how this happened and why this happened," Capt. Aaron Moses said Saturday evening.
Two people died at the scene: a 35-year-old man and a 6-year-old boy, both identified as being from McPherson. Moses said the two were not related. Eleven other people were taken to area hospitals, including four children. The ages of those transported ranged from 5 to 68.
Moses said 10 of the hospitalised victims sustained traumatic injuries that ranged from minor to "extremely severe." Authorities said the driver, a 34-year-old woman from Garden City, remained at the scene with two children who were inside the truck. She was taken into custody and has been cooperative in the investigation.
City leaders, first responders respond
Mayor Lily Wu attended a news conference at the sports complex Saturday evening and expressed condolences. "Families came to Stryker Sports Complex to enjoy a Saturday afternoon watching their children play soccer. No one could have imagined the tragedy that would unfold," she said, calling the day heartbreaking for the community.
Wu said she had spoken with Gov. Laura Kelly, who offered assistance from the state, and the city has promoted mental-health resources for those affected. District 2 Wichita City Council member Becky Tuttle, whose district includes the sports complex, said officials were checking in with families who were at the fields.
At the scene, officials thanked first responders and urged the public to allow law enforcement to complete its investigation into the circumstances and motive behind the vehicle striking the crowd.
What officials have released so far
- Incident time: Multiple calls about 3:25 p.m. Saturday reporting a vehicle driving through a soccer game.
- Location: Scheels Stryker Sports Complex, near 29th North and Greenwich Road; fatalities reported on Field 4.
- Victims: Two fatalities (a 35-year-old man and a 6-year-old boy, both from McPherson); 11 others transported to hospitals, ages 5–68; four of the injured are children.
- Suspect: 34-year-old woman from Garden City; taken into custody and cooperative with investigators; two children were in the truck.
| Category | Number |
|---|---|
| Fatalities | 2 |
| Injured and transported | 11 |
| Children among injured | 4 |
| Age range of hospitalized | 5–68 |
City leaders have not released further identifying information about the deceased or the injured beyond what Wichita police provided Saturday. Investigators continue to work to establish how and why the vehicle struck the crowd.
Community impact and next steps
Families gathered at Stryker Sports Complex for routine weekend games and said they were stunned by the violence that unfolded. City officials have urged those affected to use available mental-health services and thanked first responders for their rapid action at a mass-casualty scene.
Wichita police said the investigation is ongoing. Authorities have asked witnesses and anyone with video or information to come forward as they seek to reconstruct the events of Saturday afternoon and determine whether additional charges or actions will follow.
The city and county have not yet announced memorials or community services; officials said those details will be coordinated with families and released when appropriate.
This remains a developing local criminal investigation. WE NEWS will continue to report new information as Wichita police and public officials release it.
