Emergency dispatchers in Wichita, Kansas, classified the crash that killed a 6-year-old boy and a 35-year-old man at a youth soccer complex as a mass-casualty incident, according to newly released audio from the response. The recordings offer a window into how first responders mobilized after a pickup truck drove into children and spectators at the Stryker Sports Complex.
The victims were identified as Cole Adrian, 6, and Nicholas Schafer, 35. Both were from McPherson, a city northwest of Wichita. Ten other people were injured in the incident, including five children, authorities said.
The driver, a 34-year-old woman, was taken into custody at the scene but released without charges, police said. She was freed pending toxicology results and an examination of her Chevrolet pickup. Two of her children were inside the truck at the time, and one of them had been playing soccer on a different field at the complex, according to police.
Investigators interviewed the driver and more than 30 witnesses, including the two children who were in the pickup. Before releasing her, police consulted with the Sedgwick County District Attorney's Office. Authorities have not said whether criminal charges will follow, describing the investigation as active and ongoing.
The dispatch log covers roughly 30 minutes of communications and shows how the response unfolded as emergency crews converged on the complex. The mass-casualty designation signaled to responders that they were dealing with a large number of patients and would need to triage and transport the injured quickly.
On Monday, the City of Wichita said its public works division would install temporary barriers at key locations around the Stryker Sports Complex until more permanent solutions can be implemented. The city also said it would assess security around the facility, and that police would be present at the complex the coming weekend, joined by local mental health professionals to assist families in the aftermath.
McPherson Mayor Jim Loving issued a statement expressing grief for the victims and gratitude to those who helped. «There is nothing I can say that makes that right,» Loving said. «To the families who lost someone: this whole town is grieving with you, and we will stand with you for as long as it takes. To the injured and their families: we are praying for your recovery.» He also thanked bystanders who stepped in before the first ambulance arrived and the first responders from Wichita and McPherson.
The crash has left a youth sports community and two cities mourning while investigators continue to piece together what happened. The temporary barriers and added police presence reflect immediate concerns about safety at a complex that regularly hosts children's games and spectators.