60+ shell casings found in Wichita shooting that injured four teenagers

Four teens were hospitalized after an early Thursday morning shooting involving “possible gang” ties, Wichita police spokesperson Andrew Ford said.

Sixty shell casings were found at the scene, Ford said.

The shooting was reported at 3:18 a.m. in the 2300 block of East Murdock, which is near Ninth and Grove.

EMS took a 15-year-old boy to Wesley Medical Center with critical injuries after he was shot in the upper thigh and lower torso. Additionally, three other teens, ages 19, 18, and 17, arrived at WMC in a private vehicle with gunshots to their upper back, left thigh and left elbow, respectively, Ford said in a news release.

Those three had non-life-threatening injuries. It’s unclear of the status of the 15-year-old. All of the victims are from Wichita.

What happened in the shooting

Ford said the teens were walking in a group when two males pulled out guns and opened fire.

“Prior to the shooting, a separate incident occurred at Central and Oliver, where a Black male, not involved in the shooting, was assaulted following an exchange of words between his group walking east and another group walking west,” Ford said in a news release.

Ford said the victims were part of one of the two groups.

“Gun violence, especially among teenagers, not only threatens lives but also tears apart the fabric of our community,” chief Joe Sullivan said in the release. “We must come together to address this issue, enforce our laws, and ensure that our streets are safe for everyone. We are committed to finding those responsible and bringing them to justice.”