Wichita PD investigates possible sexual assault after post-NBC video shared at UCLA
Wichita police are investigating to determine whether any crimes were committed after video has surfaced at UCLA depicting multiple people engaging in sexual acts at a Wichita hotel after the NBC World Series championship game.
The video, which has been shared around the University of California at Los Angeles on Snapchat, shows a group of “several males” engaging in sexual relations with two females, said police spokesman Charley Davidson.
Department investigators are working with their counterparts at the UCLA Police Department to try to determine whether what happened was consensual or sexual assault, Davidson said Friday.
It is not yet known whether any criminal acts were committed and no victims have come forward to Wichita Police with any complaints, he said, adding that “the incident was not reported to be associated with the tournament or facilities.” Police are asking for any members of the public with knowledge of the incident to contact the department.
The annual NBC tournament, a sort of national championship of amateur baseball and a Wichita tradition, draws teams from across the country here each year for about two weeks of competition.
Teams are mostly made up of college students gaining off-season playing time and other aspiring players hoping to be noticed by professional baseball scouts. Over the years, numerous participants in the tournament have gone on to Major League Baseball careers.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s tournament ran only eight days.
After decades at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium, the event has been held at Wichita State University the past two years while waiting out the construction and opening of the new baseball stadium at the former Lawrence-Dumont site.
The incident is reported to have occurred on Aug. 10 after the completion of tournament play.
In the championship game, played earlier that day, the Santa Barbara, Calif. Foresters defeated the Cheney Diamond Dawgs by a score of 12-3.
It was the only NBC game played that day and most of the eliminated competitors had already gone home.
UCLA police are working primarily from home during the pandemic and officials there could not be reached by phone or e-mail Friday for comment.
The incident occurred at the Towne Place Suites, 9444 E. 29th St. North, Davidson said.
Anyone with any information is asked to call Detective Melissa Burns at 316-268-4512, e-mail MBurns@wichita.gov, or call Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.
