Driver released after pickup kills 2 and injures 10 during a youth soccer game in Kansas, police say

(CNN) — What began as a soccer game on a sunny Saturday in Wichita, Kansas, for children whose loved ones watched on the sidelines ended in tragedy when a woman drove onto the field, killing a 6-year-old boy and a man and injuring 10 others.

The driver, a 34-year-old who was parked near the soccer fields, barreled through the Stryker Sports Complex around 3:25 p.m. local time, the Wichita Police Department said. Two of the woman’s children were with her in the truck and another was playing soccer on a different field at the complex, according to police.

After investigators conducted interviews with witnesses and consulted with the district attorney’s office, the driver was released “pending the results of toxicology testing and a mechanical examination of her vehicle,” according to a news release from the Wichita Police Department. Police are still working to determine more about what happened and why. Charges have not been filed at this time, officials said.

Ten people, ranging from ages five to 68, were injured in the incident, including five children, police said. They had injuries ranging from bruises to extremely severe injuries, though none appeared to be life-threatening. The victims who died were identified as 6-year-old Cole Adrian and 35-year-old Nicholas Schafer, police said. Police originally misidentified the 6-year-old in a release, reversing his first and last name.

An 11th person was also transported to a local hospital after experiencing medical complications unrelated to traumatic injuries, police said.

“This is a tragedy,” Aaron Moses with the Wichita Police Department told reporters outside the complex.

First responders arrived on scene to find community members rendering medical aid to those who were injured, Moses said.

“The community was very impressive when our firefighters arrived,” Wichita Fire Chief Michael Mire said. “They didn’t begin patient care, they continued patient care, taking charge of what the community had already begun providing to those who were injured.”

‘It was pure panic’

A lot of families and children were on the field when the truck drove through, witnesses said.

An attendee told CNN affiliate KWCH he was with his family when a black pickup truck jumped the curb and drove onto the field. Two people also described hearing a loud noise at the time.

CNN obtained video that appears to capture the moment the truck entered the field.

Children are seen playing soccer when the screeching sound of tires rings out. The woman filming the video, and others nearby, begin to scream. The video shakes as she and those around her flee.

Vanessa Trammell was at her 13-year-old son’s soccer game nearby when she saw the truck drive across the neighboring field, striking several people, she told CNN.

“We thought it was going to stop but then it like kept going,” she said. Her son’s soccer game had just ended, and the team was in a huddle on the sidelines when the truck drove near the sidelines, she said.

The incident drew a large law enforcement response to the soccer field, which is fenced off and has a concrete runway leading to a parking lot, KWCH reported. It’s not yet clear how the vehicle breached the gate or how fast it was driving, Moses said.

The driver and two juveniles were still with the vehicle when officers and paramedics arrived, Moses said.

One youth player, identified by KWCH only as Isaac, told the outlet his father was one of the people who rushed to remove the driver from the vehicle, potentially saving more lives.

“My dad went to the truck (and) took the person out of the truck so that they don’t hit any more people,” Isaac said. “(I’m) shocked he did that cause if he didn’t do that, maybe the car wouldn’t have stopped and more people could’ve gotten hit.”

Children were gathered in their red sports uniforms by emergency vehicles and yellow police tape at the scene, video shows.

The incident shocked families and children at the field as dozens of first responders swarmed the scene.

“It was pure panic,” Trammell said. “I didn’t know what was going on – just that people were being hit. I’m pretty sure I probably screamed, but, absolutely, just pure panic was going through me.”

Younger children play at the soccer fields in the complex, including the one where the truck came barreling through, Trammell said.

“I don’t know if people tried to stop it or what happened. I was a little more focused on the chaos and trying to find my son first,” Trammell said, adding her son’s coach then ran toward the area to help victims before the paramedics arrived on site.

All events at Stryker Sports Complex have been canceled until further notice, the facility said. “We ask that you keep all individuals and families affected in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time,” the statement said.

The complex hosts recreational and competitive youth soccer leagues for players ranging from under-5 age groups through high school, as well as adult leagues, according to its website. It has 11 outdoor turf fields and an indoor facility.

Flag football state championship games scheduled at an adjacent field have also been suspended as police probe the scene, the Kansas State High School Activities Association said in a statement.

Investigators have interviewed more than 30 witnesses at the scene and others over the phone, and have asked for the public’s help as they search for video from the sports complex, Moses said.

Wichita Mayor Lily Wu said she’s “heartbroken” and advised people to avoid the area.

“Families came to Stryker Sports Complex to enjoy a Saturday afternoon watching their children play soccer,” Wu said at a news conference Saturday night. “No one could have imagined the tragedy that would unfold.”

“My heart breaks for the families who have lost loved ones, especially the family grieving the loss of a child,” the mayor said.