Shawnee 17-year-old killed in Overland Park crash identified

SHAWNEE, Kan. — The Shawnee Mission School District has identified a 17-year-old killed in Wednesday’s deadly crash in Overland Park.

The district said Will Ensley, an incoming senior at Shawnee Mission Northwest, died in a nine-vehicle crash on Metcalf Avenue near College Boulevard.

Police said a truck slammed into the back of the teenager’s car, which was crushed in the process. 

No one else was significantly injured in the crash, and there’s no word what caused the truck driver to run into the back of the teenage driver’s vehicle. Police said the crash is still under investigation.

In a letter to Shawnee Mission Northwest families, the principal said the deadly crash is devastating news for Ensley’s family and for the Northwest community.

“We will keep the family close in our thoughts as we hold our Northwest community close as well,” Principal Lisa Gruman said.

The school said it will have counselors and social workers available to talk with students at the main office anytime between 7:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., no appointment needed.

Here is the full letter sent to Shawnee Mission Northwest families:

“Dear Shawnee Mission Northwest Families,

“I am writing to share some difficult news with you. We have learned that Will Ensley, an incoming senior here at Shawnee Mission Northwest, died following a car accident he was involved in yesterday morning.

“As you can imagine, this is devastating news for the family and for all of us here at Northwest. Will was an amazing presence in our community. We will keep the family close in our thoughts as we hold our Northwest community close as well.

“Death is always difficult to handle, but especially when someone is so young. It will be important to recognize that all of us will need time to process what has happened, and to express our feelings.

“We want to provide the care and support needed for each of our students, staff, and families. Your child may struggle to make sense of this. Please encourage your child to express their feelings. Here is a link to a guide for parents when talking with your adolescent about death, Parent Guide.pdf.

“School and district staff will be available to talk with anyone who is struggling or needs assistance to process their emotions around this tragedy. If your child would like to talk with a counselor or social worker, please encourage them to stop by our main office anytime between 7:30 am and 3:30 pm, no appointment needed. If they need to talk to someone outside of those hours, we encourage them to use the 988 National Hotline as that space is for mental health needs as well as crisis management.

“Again, there is so much that does not make sense about this tragedy, but we are here to support each other during this difficult time. Please contact me directly if you have any questions.

“Sincerely, Lisa Gruman, Principal.”