A 34-year-old woman is in custody as Wichita police investigate why the pickup entered an active field and struck players and spectators.
WICHITA, Kan. — A 6-year-old boy and a 35-year-old man were killed and 11 other people were taken to hospitals Saturday after a pickup truck drove through an active youth soccer game at Stryker Sports Complex, Wichita police said.
The crash happened about 3:25 p.m. Oct. 17 at the large sports complex in northeast Wichita. Police identified the driver only as a 34-year-old woman from Garden City, Kansas. She was taken into custody at the scene and was cooperating with investigators. Authorities had not announced criminal charges or determined publicly whether the truck entered the field intentionally, because of a medical problem, or for another reason.
Police said the two people who died were from McPherson, Kansas, and were not related. Their names had not been publicly released in the initial police updates. Ten other people were taken to hospitals with traumatic injuries ranging from minor to serious, but police said those injuries were not believed to be life-threatening. An 11th person was hospitalized for a nontraumatic medical issue.
Several children were among those injured. Wichita Police Capt. Aaron Moses said the injured group included two 5-year-olds, two 8-year-olds and a 9-year-old girl. Their specific injuries were not publicly detailed. Police and emergency medical crews found civilians already helping victims when first responders reached the field, according to officials.
Two juveniles were riding inside the pickup when it crossed the complex, police said. Investigators also believe the driver had another child participating in soccer at Stryker that day, although that child was not playing on the field where the deadly crash occurred. Police have not released the driver’s name or described what happened inside the truck in the moments before it reached the playing area.
Authorities said there was no continuing threat to the public after the driver was detained. Police said she had a valid driver’s license and no outstanding arrest warrants. Those facts do not establish why the crash occurred, and officials cautioned that investigators were still trying to determine the sequence of events and what caused the vehicle to enter a field where a game was underway.
Wichita police interviewed more than 30 witnesses and began gathering photographs and video from the complex. The department also created a public evidence portal and asked people who recorded any part of the incident to provide their footage, even if they believed it might be insignificant. Investigators were examining that material as they worked to reconstruct the pickup’s path and the events immediately before the crash.
The incident also disrupted other athletic events at Stryker. The city canceled activities at the complex until further notice. The Kansas State High School Activities Association suspended play at its girls flag football state championship, which was being held on an adjacent field, and said competition would not resume during the weekend. Officials did not announce when normal operations at the complex would return.
The deaths brought grief to McPherson, where both people killed lived. St. Joseph Catholic Church opened for prayer Saturday evening as the community learned of the fatalities. Wichita Mayor Lily Wu also expressed condolences to the victims and their families and thanked first responders and community members who rushed to help before emergency crews arrived.
Police Chief Joe Sullivan said investigators had established the basic events of the crash but were focused on determining why they happened. Authorities had not announced evidence showing that the driver deliberately targeted anyone, and police had not identified impairment, a mechanical failure or a medical emergency as the cause. The investigation therefore remained open as detectives reviewed physical evidence, witness accounts and recorded footage.
The 34-year-old driver remained in custody as the investigation continued Sunday. Police had not announced charges, released the names of the two people killed or provided a final cause for the crash. Stryker Sports Complex remained affected by the investigation, and authorities continued seeking evidence from people who were present Saturday afternoon.
Author note: Last updated October 18, 2026.