SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are invesdtigating a deadly gunfight on Father's Day in Wichita and have made an arrest.
Just after 8:30p.m. Sunday, police responded to a shooting incident in the 1900 block of N. Jackson Street in Wichita, according to Police spokesman Andrew Ford.
While working to gather further information, the 911 dispatcher could hear gunfire in the background, prompting an immediate upgraded dispatch of officers to the scene.
First responders discovered a 28-year-old Hispanic man, later identified as Aron Lara suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Sedgwick County EMS provided initial critical care at the scene before transporting him to a nearby hospital. Despite efforts, Lara succumbed to his injuries during surgery and was pronounced deceased at 10:26p.m., according to Ford.
Another victim, a 22-year-old Hispanic man, sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot to the arm and was privately transported to St. Francis Hospital, where he remains in stable condition on Monday morning.
The incident occurred during a neighborhood barbecue in observance of Father's Day. According to preliminary reports, Lara, was involved in a verbal altercation with the assailant earlier in the evening. The suspect, a 33-year-old Hispanic man, allegedly returned home, retrieved a rifle, and fired upon the victim, who was unarmed at the time of the shooting.
It is believed that two men accompanying the victim returned fire, resulting in injuries to the second victim. The identities of these individuals are currently under investigation as police seek their information on involvement.
The Wichita Police Department arrested the 33-year-old suspect on requested charges of first-degree murder, according to Ford. Police have not released the suspect's name.
During the investigation, officers recovered the murder weapon from a nearby residence. Additionally, investigators collected 26 firearm casings of multiple calibers from various homes and vehicles in the vicinity, indicating the extent of the gunfire exchange.