Boy and man killed, 10 injured as woman drives truck through youth soccer game in Wichita, Kansas

A 6-year-old boy and a 35-year-old man were killed and 10 other people were injured when a woman drove a truck through a youth soccer game at a city sports complex in Wichita, Kansas, on Saturday afternoon, police said.

A spokesperson for the Wichita Police Department identified the deceased Sunday as Cole Adrian, 6, and Nicholas Schafer, 35. They were both from McPherson, Kansas, but were not related to each other.

Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan described it as an “unimaginable loss” in a statement Sunday. He told the families of the victims and those who witnessed the tragedy that they were not alone.

“What should have been a day of children playing soccer and families spending time together ended in tragedy,” Sullivan said. “We are also thinking about those who were injured, their loved ones and everyone who witnessed what happened.”

The 34-year-old driver, from Garden City, Kansas, was taken into custody but released after consultation with the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office, police said. She has not been charged with a crime and has not been identified.

More than 30 witnesses were interviewed following the crash, including two children who were inside the truck with the woman at the time. A preliminary investigation indicated that the woman was parked near the soccer fields before driving the Chevrolet into the area, according to police.

One of the woman’s children had a game at the complex, though at a different field from where the crash occurred, police said.

It is unclear whether the incident at Stryker Sports Complex was intentional. Investigators are waiting for results of the driver’s toxicology testing and a mechanical examination of the vehicle.

Wichita Police Capt. Aaron Moses described the woman as cooperative during an evening news conference on Saturday.

The injured include five children, ranging in age from 5 to 9, and five adults between 28 and 68 years old, he said.

“Those injuries span from minor injuries, like bruises, to extremely severe injuries,” the captain said. “But at this point, we believe those to be non-life-threatening.”

An additional patient, a 61-year-old woman, was hospitalized with “non-traumatic medical issues,” he said.

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People began calling 911 shortly before 3:30 p.m., Moses said, “reporting that a vehicle had driven through a soccer game at Stryker Soccer Complex.”

First responders, including Kansas Highway Patrol officers, Sedgwick County sheriff’s deputies and police from nearby Bel Aire, found the boy and the man dead at the scene, he said.

They also saw bystanders tending to the injured.

“They saw community members and citizens rendering medical aid to those who were injured,” he said.

McPherson City FC, a youth soccer organization, confirmed in a statement on Facebook that it suffered an unimaginable tragedy.

“Dealing with a loss of this magnitude also calls for privacy and respect for all our soccer community,” the post said. “Please allow time for healing and grieving to take place and be there for those that seek guidance.”

The comment section was filled with condolences and messages of support, including from those who offered to coordinate meal donations for the affected families.

Wichita Mayor Lily Wu said on her personal Facebook page that the incident left her filled with sorrow.

“I’m heartbroken by reports of a tragic incident at Stryker Sports Complex,” she said. “My thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected, especially the children and families involved.”

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said in a statement that she was monitoring the situation and has offered state resources to Wu.

“My condolences go out to the families of the victims, the survivors, and all those impacted by this event,” she said, adding that she was “very grateful” to first responders.

The Stryker Sports Complex is a city facility with 11 turf fields used for “all sports,” it states on its website. The city of Wichita said all events at the facility have been canceled for now.

The Kansas State High School Activities Association said its scheduled flag football state championship has been suspended, along with any other of its matches through the weekend.

An investigation into the incident was ongoing, police said.

In a statement on Facebook, the Wichita Police Department asked anyone with video of the incident to upload it so investigators could take a look.