A truck drove through a youth soccer game in Wichita, Kansas, on Sunday, killing two people and sending 11 others to the hospital, according to Wichita police. A 15-year-old referee has since shared a firsthand account of the scene with KMPH.
What police have said:
- A 6-year-old boy and a 35-year-old man died.
- Eleven people were hospitalized, with ages ranging from 5 to 68.
- The driver, a 34-year-old woman, is in custody.
- Two children were in the truck when it went through the field.
- Authorities say there is no further threat to the public.
Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan said people at the field jumped into action to help victims right away, before first responders got there. Bystanders were giving lifesaving aid in those first critical minutes.
The range of ages among the injured, from kindergarten-aged kids to a senior citizen, is a reminder of who fills the sideline on a Sunday: players, siblings, parents, grandparents, volunteers and the teenage referees who work these games. Everyone was there for a normal weekend soccer match.
Police have not released further details, and updates are expected as the investigation continues.
Source: KMPH