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Chilling witness video shows moment woman drove truck onto Kansas soccer field, killing two, as she’s released from custody
Disturbing footage captures the moment a woman drove her pickup truck onto a soccer field in Kansas, leaving two people dead.
The horrific incident took place on a Saturday (October 17) at Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita, where children and adults gathered for an afternoon soccer game.
According to TMZ, a 34-year-old woman from Garden City, Kansas, who was parked near the playing fields, drove her Chevrolet pickup truck into one of them, striking people nearby.
Sadly, six-year-old Cole Adrian and 35-year-old Nicholas Schafer lost their lives, and ten others, five children and five adults, sustained injuries.
Chilling witness video released
A video shared on the Kake News Instagram page shows the terrifying moments as the incident unfolds.
The clip initially shows a youth soccer match taking place before the sound of an approaching vehicle can be heard, followed by panicked screams from those nearby.
Although the video does not show the truck striking anyone, the person recording can be heard shouting before moving toward the scene.
Families of victims speak out after tragedy
Cole's father, Chris Adrian, a middle school soccer coach, has spoken about the devastating loss of his son.
"Cole was an incredible kid and could put a smile on anyone’s face," he said in a text message reported by the New York Times. "He was the joy and light of our community. His pure heart was open to everyone. He had the best laugh. He was a friend with everyone, young or old."
Schafer's friends shared an online fundraiser, saying his family had "suffered tremendous loss, immense pain, and devastation, forever changing their futures".
It has been revealed that the 35-year-old and his wife, Ashley, celebrated their 14th anniversary in May and had three children.
Both victims were residents of McPherson, Kansas, about an hour north of Wichita.
Wichita’s police chief, Joe Sullivan, expressed his condolences to the families in a statement and assured that his investigators "will continue working to understand exactly what happened".
"Our hearts are with the families of [Cole] and Nicholas as they face an unimaginable loss. What should have been a day of children playing soccer and families spending time together ended in tragedy," he said.
"We are also thinking about those who were injured, their loved ones and everyone who witnessed what happened. We know this tragedy has affected many people throughout our community, and we want those families to know they are not alone," he added.
Among those injured were two girls aged five and nine, a five-year-old boy, and two eight-year-old boys.
Three women aged 28, 59, and 65, along with two men aged 32 and 68, were also injured.
A 61-year-old woman received medical treatment for complications unrelated to traumatic injuries, bringing the total number of people transported to hospitals to 11.
Police have launched an extensive investigation into what caused the pickup truck to enter the soccer field.
Authorities revealed that two of the driver's children were inside the car at the time, while another of her children was playing soccer on a separate field at the complex.
The woman remained at the scene and cooperated with officers. She was later released without charges after investigators consulted the Sedgwick County District Attorney's Office, per The Independent.
Investigators are now awaiting toxicology findings and the results of a mechanical inspection to help determine what led to the incident.
The driver's release does not mean the investigation has ended, and officials have not disclosed whether they could file charges later.