3 July 2023
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A shooting early Sunday morning at City Nightz has left Wichitans shocked.
Jacob Green’s best friend was a victim of the shooting.
“It’s so hard to grasp the fact that this happened,” Green said. “It’s somebody that I’ve known for such a long time and that I’ve had some really good memories with, and I don’t know what a tomorrow would look like without it.”
He says he woke up to a phone call from his phone and immediately knew something was wrong.
“I pick it up; it’s not him,” Green said. “It’s his roommate. He’s like, hey, something happened last night. He got shot, and my heart just sank.”
He is left with worries.
“Are we really safe in the nightlife? I mean, are we safe in our own homes?” Green said.
Green is thankful his friend is recovering, but going through this experience has taught him lessons.
“Value every day like it’s your last. Every day is a gift, and you’re not guaranteed tomorrow,” Green said. “I might not be guaranteed tomorrow. Life is a very, very valuable, fragile and precious thing that we’re gifted with.”
Green says gun violence is a problem that needs to be solved across the country.
“This is ridiculous,” Green said. “This is a problem that not only the City of Wichita needs to solve, but everybody collectively in the United States needs to solve because this happens not only here, but everywhere.”
Mayor Brandon Whipple confirmed City Nightz is closed Sunday night, and they will be looking at the next steps this week.
“As we move forward, I think there’s going to be a stronger look at our ordinance pertaining to entertainment districts,” Whipple said. “To make sure that if there is a club or a bar that is consistently unsafe, then our chief will be shutting those down for a period of time.
KSN will provide more information as it becomes available.