Possible bombing attempt at Wichita’s Equality Kansas

By Robin Dorner
Editor in Chief

Last Monday, September 26,^,at the Equality Kansas headquarters in Wichita, KS., a U-Haul truck used to transport equipment from the Wichita Pride event was “vandalized.”

But Tom Witt, Executive Director of Equality Kansas says he’s not buying the vandalism story.

“We had a U-Haul from the Pride Festival parked here,” said Witt. “We went to start it and it wouldn’t start. Went to jump it and couldn’t find the battery and [we found] the battery cable had been cut and there was a can of gasoline with the cable in it.”

Witt said it looked like an amateur attempt at an improvised explosive device (ied).

“The police say they have no leads. They are not sharing a lot of their details with us,” Witt added saying there have been no other recent threat or call-in’s to the organization with any threats of violence.

The Gayly contacted Lt. Espinoza of the Wichita Police Department, but have received no return call at the time of this report. On the Wichita police report, it is listed as “destruction to auto,” rather than a bombing incident and is not listed as a hate crime.

Witt said they have made a number of changes to our security which they are not sharing with the public.

“Details of our security are private for the safety of our members and staff.

“I know in other statements that WPD have referred to this as vandalism,” Witt added. “Vandalism is when you cut the cable; terrorism is when you hook it up to a can of gas. I’m not buying the vandalism story.”

Witt said in closing, “Whoever set this up, failed. We will not quit what we do here. If anything it strengthens our resolve to fight.”