The Stryker Sports Complex crash occurred during a youth soccer game in east Wichita, Kansas, on Saturday, October 17, killing a 6-year-old boy and a 35-year-old man, both from McPherson, Wichita police said. Eleven other people were taken to hospitals following the tragic Stryker Sports Complex crash. The driver is in custody, and police say there is no continuing threat. Officers are still working to determine how and why the truck entered the field.
What happened at the Stryker Sports Complex
Sedgwick County 911 began receiving calls at about 3:25 p.m. Central time regarding the Stryker Sports Complex crash, and police later described the event as a mass casualty incident involving a vehicle. That is a term emergency agencies use when the number of injured people strains normal response.
Wichita police, the fire department, Sedgwick County EMS and other agencies responded immediately. A witness told KWCH that a black pickup truck went through the youth fields and stopped 100 to 200 yards away, but that is one account and not an official police finding.
Wichita Police Capt. Aaron Moses said the driver, a 34-year-old woman, is in custody and has been cooperative, and that two juveniles were in the truck. Police said she holds a valid driver’s license, and Moses said he did not know how fast the truck was going or how it reached the field. No charges had been announced in the reports reviewed, and HCN is not naming the driver. Police also said they believe she had a child playing at the complex, though not on the affected field.
Who was hurt in the Stryker Sports Complex crash
Police confirmed that 11 people besides the two fatalities were taken to hospitals after the Stryker Sports Complex crash. They ranged in age from 5 to 68 and included several children. The reports reviewed did not give their conditions, and they differ slightly on how many had traumatic injuries and how many needed other medical care. The names of those killed and injured had not been released by police at the time of the latest reports.
The complex was busy that afternoon. The Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) said Shawnee Mission West and Shawnee Mission South girls flag football teams were playing on an adjacent field, separated by fencing and a gated entrance.
Athletes, coaches and spectators were told to leave and were directed off the property by the Kansas Highway Patrol and Wichita police. KWCH reported that the state flag football championship was postponed and that all events at the complex were canceled due to the Stryker Sports Complex crash.
How the community is responding
The city of McPherson said its heart was heavy for the families affected by the Stryker Sports Complex crash and asked residents to show kindness and respect their privacy. Calvary Baptist Church opened for community prayer on Saturday evening, and McPherson police urged anyone who needed support to reach out so they could be connected to resources. Wichita Mayor Lily Wu said she was heartbroken, and a city council member said official information would come first from police and the mayor.
Support is also available in Wichita:
- Dorothy’s Lane/Tree of Life Care (359 S. Hydraulic) stayed open until midnight on Saturday with a therapist and grief counselor for people directly affected.
- Hope on the Streets Love in Action stated it can help meet needs for any affected family.
- ICT SOS expressed that it was praying for the community.
Anyone who was at the complex and is struggling can contact these groups or a local mental health professional.
What remains unknown
Police have not said what caused the truck to leave the roadway and enter the field, and they have not announced whether the driver will face charges in connection with the Stryker Sports Complex crash. Also unconfirmed are the names of those killed and injured and the condition of the 11 people taken to hospitals.
Police asked anyone with video of the incident to submit it through the Wichita Police Department’s online evidence portal, which is linked from its social media posts.
For more of our coverage of how emergencies affect families and communities, visit the Human Crisis News homepage. KWCH in Wichita has been posting regular updates in its report on the incident. This story is based on police statements and published reporting, HCN did not report from the scene, and it will be updated as new information emerges.