Wichita police have arrested a 15-year-old boy in connection with a shooting that occurred downtown at Douglas & St. Francis after a disturbance involving a 64-year-old man and his wife, who were walking in the area.
At about 11:25 Monday night, officers responded to a report of a large disturbance south of Douglas & St. Francis. Officers were notified of a possible shooting, then another call came in reporting a shooting victim south of Douglas & Broadway. Officers responding to that location found a man from Wichita suffering from a gunshot wound to his left shoulder. The victim was hospitalized, and is expected to survive.
Preliminary investigations indicate the victim and his wife were walking in the Naftzger Park area when they got into a verbal argument with a large group of youngsters. The argument escalated into a physical altercation, leading to several individuals pursuing the victim to a nearby parking lot, where the 15-year-old suspect shot the victim before fleeing.
The teenager was later taken into custody and booked on charges of aggravated battery and attempted murder. The case will be presented to the District Attorney's Office for formal charges.
Chief Sullivan said, "Once again, this incident underscores the serious dangers when young people have access to firearms. A juvenile having access to a firearm on our streets is unacceptable. This must stop. The
safety of our community is our top priority, and we will not tolerate such violent behavior."
Anyone with information is urged to come forward and contact Wichita Police Investigators at 316-268-4407. You can also provide information anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111, and you may be eligible for a reward if your tip leads to an arrest.