Six-year-old among two dead after Kansas woman drives through soccer game, with 11 more injured

The two people killed on Saturday when a truck drove through a youth soccer game in north-east Wichita, Kansas, were a six-year-old boy and a 35-year-old man, according to authorities.

Eleven other people between the ages of five and 68 were injured in a case whose possible motivations remained unclear early on Sunday, by when it had captured attention across the US.

In a news briefing updating initial information, Wichita police said the driver at the center of the case was a 34-year-old woman from Garden City, Kansas, which is about three and a half hours away by car.

Authorities did not immediately release her name any of the victims’ names, including the two killed.

Police said they took the driver into custody after she drove through a field at Stryker Sports Complex during a youth soccer game at about 3.30pm on Saturday.

When police and paramedics arrived in response to emergency calls, they found the truck on the west field of the complex. Two juveniles were inside the truck with the driver, Wichita police captain, Aaron Moses, told news media.

The woman has a valid driver’s license and no outstanding warrants, Moses said.

The boy and man who were killed were both from McPherson, Kansas, about an hour drive north of Wichita. Police said the victims were not related.

Ten of those injured had serious but not life-threatening injuries, police said. Those included children aged five, eight and nine – as well as adults between 28 and 68 years old.

The 11th person reported as injured was a 61-year-old woman who had nontraumatic medical issues, police said.

Wichita’s mayor, Lily Wu, expressed condolences to the victims and their families, describing the case as an “unimaginable tragedy”.

“What should have been a joyful Saturday afternoon watching children play soccer ended in heartbreak,” Wu said. She added: “My heart breaks for the families who have lost loved ones. My thoughts and prayers are with those injured and everyone affected by this tragedy.”

Stryker Sports Complex announced that all events had been cancelled there until further notice.

“We ask that you keep all individuals and families affected in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time,” the complex also said in its announcement. “Please avoid the complex to allow emergency personnel to carry out their work.

“Updates regarding future events will be shared as information becomes available.”

Meanwhile, the Kansas State High School Activities Association also suspended its third-place and championship flag football games, which had been scheduled for later on Saturday at the complex.

“The KSHSAA extends our condolences to the families and teams [affected] by the incident,” the association said.

The organization said it planned on providing details about rescheduled games on Monday.

Saturday marked the second time in less than 26 years that the athletic complex near the corner of North Greenwich Road and East 29th Street was at the center of a high-profile, deadly case.

Brothers named Jonathan and Reginald Carr were convicted of shooting five people – including four fatally – on a snow-covered field there in December 2000 during a crime spree that also involved robbery, rape and torture, according to information culled from court filings and media reports.