Shooting at Wichita park during youth football games leaves man dead, police say
Wichita police say a 32-year-old man was fatally shot Thursday at a north-side park where youth football games were being played.
Officers responded to the shooting at 7:03 p.m. at Dr. Glen Dey Park, 2801 N. Grove.
WPD spokesman Officer Rick Pena said 200 to 300 people were at the park for youth football games at the time. An off-duty detective working security at the games heard gunfire and found Travon Stewart near a parking area, “suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to his upper body,” Pena said.
“The off-duty detective immediately began providing life-saving measures until EMS arrived,” he said.
Stewart was taken in critical condition to a Wichita hospital, where he died at 7:29 p.m., Pena said.
Police say Stewart was at the park selling concessions to raise money for a football team that is not affiliated with the Wichita Junior Football League or any other community youth football league.
Detectives think Stewart was targeted and that the shooting is not connected to the youth football games that were being played at the park Thursday, according to a Wichita police news release.
Immediately after the shooting police called on the public to provide any information they had about the shooter. Pena said authorities had no suspect description Thursday evening, and the suspect was at large.
Police asked the public to call investigators at 316-268-4407 or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.
“We definitely need the public’s help on this,” Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan said.
The city, in a news release, said it plans to step up the police presence at Wichita Junior Football League games scheduled for Saturday as a precaution “to ensure the safety and comfort of all participants and spectators.”
“Our hearts go out to everyone impacted by this tragic event, especially the young children and families who witnessed it,” the release says. “Currently, community resources are being gathered to provide trauma-informed care to all those impacted. Parks are safe places for our community to gather, play and grow, and we are heartbroken that this violence occurred in one of our spaces.”
This story was originally published October 24, 2025 at 10:22 AM.
