Juvenile arrests on gun charges in Wichita up 36% in 2025
By Abby Wray
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WICHITA, Kan. (KAKE) — Juvenile gun arrests in Wichita are way up from last year.
Within the last 72 hours, three shootings in Wichita have left one teen dead, one teen critically injured and another adult man critically injured.
Wichita police arrested 36% more kids and teens on gun-related charges this year compared to last year and other recent years. It’s a growing problem being addressed by law enforcement, but it raises the question: how are so many kids getting their hands on high-power weapons?
“If they have children in the home, the children need training as well,” explained Andy Padilla, a firearms instructor for Arden Defense. He says gun education for all ages is incredibly important.
“If they’re outside of the home, you know, friends or something of that nature, they have a solid understanding of what to do if one is present,” said Padilla.
Getting children involved in the training and education process early is his recommendation.
Tuesday evening, police say two 18-year-old men were together, one showing the other two guns. During that interaction, one man pointed the gun at the other and fired, striking him and sending him to the hospital in critical condition. Now the other young man is in jail for aggravated battery.
And police say on Monday afternoon, a group of teens gathering in a backyard left a 14-year-old boy dead from a gunshot wound; that evening, a 15-year-old boy was in jail.
“I just ask that we come together as a community and keep an eye on our kids, keep an eye on our firearms,” said Joe Sullivan, Wichita police chief, on Monday afternoon.
In 2025, Wichita police say 21 children and teens were injured or killed in a shooting. Year to date, in 2024, 28 kids/teens were injured or killed in Wichita shootings; in 2023, 24 kids/teens were injured or killed in Wichita shootings; in 2022, 21 kids/teens were injured or killed in Wichita shootings.
Year to date in 2025, 124 kids and teens have been arrested for gun-related charges. That number is up 36% from last year. Year to date, in 2024, 91 juveniles were arrested for gun-related charges; in 2023, 86 juveniles were arrested; and in 2022, 93 juveniles were arrested.
“We have to take it upon ourselves to ensure that those tools, when they are not actively in our possession, the ones that own them, they should be locked up so no one has access to them,” said Padilla.
Experts say gun storage is one of the most important gun safety measures.
“You know, especially someone who has just a handgun or something, they have handgun safes, they have safes you can keep in your car, keep in your home,” said Padilla.
Whether it’s with a gun safe or a gun lock, Padilla says to keep guns far out of reach of minors and untrained adults.
“The important thing is just you know having something secure, any firearms or belongings that you don’t want just anybody to have access to,” said Padilla.
Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office also offers free gun locks to the public. It says anyone can walk into the Sedgwick County jail lobby and ask for one- no questions asked.
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