In the early hours of Sunday, a gunfight erupted inside City Nightz nightclub in Wichita, Kansas. The shootout involved multiple patrons, with at least four guns being fired. The incident resulted in seven people being shot and two others being trampled in the ensuing chaos. Despite heightened security measures in the area, including increased police presence due to previous incidents, the violence unfolded in the Old Town section of Wichita. While one suspect has been apprehended, authorities are still working to identify others involved in the shooting.
Police officers, who were already patrolling outside the nightclub, heard a disturbance and screams coming from inside. A large number of people rushed out of the establishment, leading to the discovery of seven shooting victims and two individuals who were trampled in the chaos. The two trampled victims, a 30-year-old woman and a 31-year-old man, were injured as they tried to escape the gunfire. The motive behind the shooting is currently under investigation.
Authorities seized at least four guns from inside the nightclub and are analyzing them to determine if any were used in the shooting. The victims, ranging in age from 21 to 34, included two women and five men. Five of the injured individuals were transported to hospitals by ambulance, while the others sought medical attention on their own. While one victim remains in critical condition, the rest are expected to survive their non-life-threatening injuries.
Mayor Brandon Whipple expressed concern over the increase in gun violence and emphasized the need for community action, particularly among young people, to address the issue. Wichita Police Chief Joe Joe Sullivan expressed dismay at the number of firearms present in the nightclub and pledged a thorough investigation into how they were brought in. The police department’s Special Investigations Bureau had previously looked into incidents associated with City Nightz, including aggravated battery cases and a drive-by shooting in May.
The owners of City Nightz were unavailable for comment, and it is unclear if they followed the security recommendations discussed during a meeting with the police department’s officers in May. Detective Chris Merceau stated that the importance of using metal detectors, maintaining working video cameras, and ensuring parking lot security were among the topics discussed. The investigation will determine whether these practices were implemented.