Three dead after vehicle crashes into homecoming parade

“I’ve been here 29 years and I can’t recall an incident of this magnitude”, Gibbs told reporters at the scene. A 2-year-old toddler has since passed away from injuries sustained in the accident and according to the latest update, five children and three adults remain hospitalized with conditions ranging from good to critical.

Three people were killed when a vehicle careened into a crowd at the Oklahoma State University Homecoming Parade in Stillwater, Oklahoma, Saturday, October 24, 2015.

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin said on Twitter that the state’s “thoughts and prayers are with those affected by the tragic events” at Oklahoma State.

The driver, identified as 25-year-old Adacia Avery Chambers, was taken into custody on suspicion of driving while under the influence of alcohol, said Captain Kyle Gibbs of the Stillwater Police. She is not believed to be an OSU student, he said. She apparently worked “at least until midnight” on Friday and then “went out for homecoming festivities” until a few undetermined time.

Chamber is said to be a native of Oologah, Oklahoma, but that she had been living in Stillwater with her boyfriend, according to News OK. Defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer said he didn’t know how the players would handle the news.

Oklahoma State was to play Kansas in the homecoming football game Saturday afternoon.

The OSU Alumni Association, which organizes the “Homecoming Sea of Orange Parade”, also offered condolences to victims in a statement, as did Stillwater’s mayor, Gina Noble.

Oklahoma State is to host Kansas in its annual homecoming game Saturday afternoon.

“People were flying 30 feet (10 metres) into the air like rag dolls”, the newspaper quoted Konda Walker as saying. Witnesses described that scene looked as if a “bomb” had gone off. “Half the emergency personnel in the county were here”, Haxton said”. Sophomore Sam Trautman was in the crowd with friends, and noted the silence as the victims were remembered before kickoff.

“To be honest with you, it wouldn’t have upset me if we hadn’t played today, but we did and the kids went out and played a game”, he said.

Fox Sports sportscaster Tim Brando described the pregame atmosphere as “the kind of somber feeling” that he’d never had before.

University of Oklahoma President David Boren has issued a statement expressing sympathy to those killed and injured when a vehicle crashed into people attending the homecoming parade at Oklahoma State University.

In 2001, a plane carrying the men’s basketball team crashed in a snow storm in Colorado returning home from a game.

Three people have been confirmed dead and dozens injured after the accident. And Oklahoma State women’s basketball coach Kurt Budke and assistant Miranda Serna were among four killed in a plane crash in Arkansas in 2011 while on a recruiting trip.

“We are shocked and heartbroken by this disgusting tragedy”.

On Saturday, he echoed those words.

“The Cowboy family pulls together”.