Wichita police continued to search Saturday afternoon for who was behind a deadly shooting and car crash that happened Friday afternoon in southeast Wichita.
Police were also still working to identify the 49-year-old man who was found shot in a red GMC Yukon that hit a parked car and crashed into the bedroom of an apartment. Wichita police spokesperson Kristopher Gupilan said around 12:30 p.m. Saturday that no arrest had been made and detectives were still following up on tips.
The shooting and wreck happened around 2:18 p.m. Friday near near San Pablo and Lincoln. The house hit was at the corner.
A witness, who asked to be identified only as Gerald, said he was driving in the area when he heard a pop. Then he saw a red SUV jump a curb, then hit a bush, a house and a car.
The man who lives in the house that was hit by the car said he was in the kitchen when the SUV crashed into his bedroom with a “bang like an earthquake.”
A 63-year-old woman who asked not be to be identified said her car was hit while she was inside watching TV.
“The whole house shake like this,” she said, moving her hands back and forth. “Scared me for real.”
First responders pulled the man from the SUV and did CPR, but he died at the scene. Initial reports were that he was shot in the head, according to Sedgwick County Emergency Communications.
On a tip, police and eventually SWAT had surrounded a single-story quadplex across the street and a few buildings down from where the wreck happened. They believed a suspect was inside. Officers could be seen carrying shields in the front lawn. Other officers, some in camouflage and one in a police uniform carrying a rifle, went into some of the apartments on that building.
By about 7:30 p.m., police determined no one was in the apartment they surrounded, Gupilan said. It’s common practice in standoffs for police to wait out or try and convince the suspect to surrender.
During a news conference Friday night, chief Joseph Sullivan said he’s confident police will make an arrest.
“We’re not going to tolerate this,” Sullivan said. “We have zero tolerance for gun violence. We will be relentless. Detectives will work through the night, if necessary, until we know the shooter’s in custody.”
Sullivan said cooperation from witnesses and community members will be the key to solving the case and lowering violent crime rates in Wichita.
Police are asking anyone with information about the shooting to call detectives at 316-268-4407, the See Something Say Something hotline at 316-519-2282 or Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111. Callers can remain anonymous with Crime Stoppers.
This appears to be the city’s 13th homicide of the year. There were 23 at this time last year.