A vehicle drove onto a youth soccer field in Wichita, Kansas, on Saturday, killing a 6-year-old boy and a 35-year-old man. Eleven other people were injured in the crash, police said.
The incident happened at Stryker Sports Complex at about 3:25 p.m. local time. Families and children were at the site for youth soccer games when the vehicle entered the field.
The driver was a 34-year-old woman whose child was playing soccer on another field at the complex. Two other children were also inside the vehicle, according to Aaron Moses of the Wichita Police Department.
Police took the woman into custody. Moses said she had been cooperative with investigators. Officers are working to learn what happened, why the vehicle entered the field and whether criminal charges will be filed.
The 11 people who were injured included children. Their injuries were not considered life-threatening, police said. Officials had not released the names of those who died as they worked to notify their families.
“This is a tragedy,” Moses told reporters outside the sports complex.
Witnesses described a scene of fear and confusion as the vehicle drove across the field. Many families had gathered at the complex to watch children play soccer.
One attendee told local television station KWCH that he was with his family when a black pickup truck jumped a curb and drove onto the field. Two other witnesses said they heard a loud noise around the time of the incident.
Vanessa Trammell was watching her 13-year-old son’s soccer game on a nearby field when she saw the truck cross the field next to them. She said the vehicle struck several people as it continued to move.
“We thought it was going to stop but then it like kept going,” Trammell said.
Her son’s game had just ended. The team was gathered in a huddle near the sidelines when the truck passed close to them, she said.
Trammell described the scene as one of sudden panic. She said she did not know what was happening at first, but could see that people had been hit.
“It was pure panic,” she said. She added that her first concern was finding her son and making sure he was safe.
The complex has fields used by young children, including players in the youngest age groups. Trammell said she was focused on the confusion and trying to locate her son rather than watching every part of the incident.
She said her son’s coach ran toward the crash site to help the injured before paramedics arrived.
Police and emergency crews rushed to the complex after the crash. Video from the scene showed children wearing red sports uniforms gathered near emergency vehicles, with yellow police tape marking off the area.
The complex is fenced off and has a concrete route that leads toward a parking lot. Investigators are trying to determine how the vehicle got through the gate and how fast it was moving, Moses said.
Police have not yet explained what caused the driver to enter the field. They are also working to establish the full sequence of events before the crash.
The identities of the two people killed have not been made public. Moses said officials were contacting their families before releasing further details. Police also had not confirmed which soccer clubs were playing on the field at the time.
The incident forced the cancellation of activities at Stryker Sports Complex. The facility said all events would remain canceled until further notice.
In a statement, the complex asked people to keep the victims and their families in their thoughts and prayers during what it called a difficult time.
The facility hosts recreational and competitive soccer leagues for children and adults. Its youth programs include players under five years old through high school age. The complex has 11 outdoor turf fields and an indoor sports facility.
The crash also affected other sporting events nearby. State championship games for flag football scheduled at an adjacent field were suspended while police investigated the scene, the Kansas State High School Activities Association said.
Wichita Mayor Lily Wu said she was heartbroken by the incident. She urged people to stay away from the area as emergency crews and investigators continued their work.
Her statement expressed support for those affected, especially the children and families who were at the complex.
The investigation remains ongoing. Police are seeking to establish why the vehicle drove onto the field and whether the driver will face charges. For families who had gathered for a day of youth sports, the crash turned a routine event into a scene of loss and fear.
