Witnesses have described the frightening moments when a truck drove through youth soccer fields at the Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita, Kansas, on Saturday, October 17. Two people, including a child, were killed and several others were injured, police said.
People commenting during a YouTube livestream said the truck came close to players before stopping near another field. A witness quoted by local media said the vehicle travelled around 100 to 200 yards through the fields before stopping.
The driver was taken into custody, and police said there was no further threat to the public. The circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation.
Witnesses describe terrifying moments
One person who identified themselves as a goalkeeper at the complex described how close the vehicle came to them in comments during a YouTube livestream by 12newskwch.
“The car was 30 feet from me. It started to turn and tried to hit me,” one person who identified themselves as a goalkeeper wrote in a YouTube livestream chat.
The same commenter added, “Me too it stopped right before my field I heard screams and honks and like thuds and ran for my life.”
{{/usCountry}}The same commenter added, “Me too it stopped right before my field I heard screams and honks and like thuds and ran for my life.”
{{/usCountry}}Another commenter wrote, “Because my dad and the other teams dads yanked the doors open and were trying to stop them he stopped right before me.”
A third commenter, who said they had heard from a friend at the scene, wrote, “I heard from my friend who was there, there are little entrances in gates, the truck went through those gates and plowed through the fields about 100-200 yards.”
Also Read: Wichita Stryker Sports Complex: What we know about the incident that left multiple people injured
Witness recalls hearing crash before seeing injured victims
A witness who spoke to local news outlet KWCH said a black pickup truck drove through the youth soccer fields, striking multiple people before stopping about 100 to 200 yards farther down the fields.
The witness described emergency responders treating victims, including performing CPR. Police said several injured people were taken to hospitals, but their conditions were not immediately available.
Another witness, who was helping at the flag football gate, told KWCH she heard the vehicle crash before seeing it plough through a crowd of children and adults at the soccer games.
“When I got up and actually seen it, it looked like it was a truck that plowed through a crowd of soccer games that was going on of children and adults,” she said.
She added that an off-duty firefighter rushed to help victims and returned with blood on his hands. Nurses and others also ran to assist, while emergency crews arrived within five to 10 minutes. The witness said the sound was something she would remember for the rest of her life and described the incident as “tragically sad.”
These comments have not been independently verified by HT.com, and police have not confirmed the details described in the livestream.
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Police seek video footage
Wichita police are asking members of the public to submit any video related to the incident, including footage they believe may be insignificant.
Submit video to Wichita Police by scanning the QR code here.
Support for people affected
Dorothy’s Lane announced that it would remain open until midnight to support people directly affected by the incident. A therapist was available at its Wichita location.
- Location: 359 S. Hydraulic, Wichita, Kansas.
- Support: Open until midnight for people directly affected, with a therapist available.
The investigation is ongoing. Police have not confirmed why the truck entered the fields or established a motive for the incident.