A six-year-old boy and an adult male were killed, while 11 others were hospitalised after a woman drove a vehicle into the venue of a youth football match at a sports complex in Kansas, United States, on Saturday.
The Wichita Police Department confirmed that a 34-year-old woman was arrested at the scene, adding that she had been cooperative but that investigators had yet to determine whether the incident was intentional or accidental.
“She has been cooperative up to this point in the investigation,” Wichita Police Captain Aaron Moses said at a press conference after the incident.
Authorities said the two victims who died were from the city of McPherson but were not related. Police also stated that five children aged between one and five were among those injured in the incident.
“Those injuries span from minor injuries, like bruises, to extremely severe injuries. But at this point, we believe those to be non-life-threatening,” Mr Moses explained.
Additionally, five men and women aged between 28 and 68 were injured in the incident, while a 61-year-old was admitted to hospital with “non-traumatic medical issues”.
“They saw community members and citizens rendering medical aid to those who were injured,” Mr Moses said while recounting the scene in the immediate aftermath of the incident.
He added that first responders, including Kansas Highway Patrol officers, Sedgwick County sheriff’s deputies and police from nearby Bel Aire, found the boy and the man dead at the scene.
Meanwhile, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly expressed condolences to the victims’ families, adding that her office was ready to provide any assistance needed in response to the incident.
“I am closely monitoring the tragic incident that took place at the Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita this afternoon. My condolences go out to the families of the victims, the survivors, and all those impacted by this event.
“I have reached out to Mayor Wu to offer any assistance needed from the state. I am very grateful to the first responders on the scene today,” she said.
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