Man shot in the face with a BB while out for a jog in downtown Wichita

Derek Lytle
·2 min read
10

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A Wichita man is recovering after being shot in the face with a BB while out for a jog on Thursday night.

Cory Newen had just put his 1-month-old to bed, stepping out of his apartment for a workout and making his way toward the Arkansas River when he was shot with a BB just after 11:30 p.m. He said it all happened so quickly.

“This is how I’m going to die,” said Newen.

He said he was jogging between Water and Main Street when the red sedan approached; he didn’t hear anything above his music playing until the shots rang out.

“About two minutes in, I heard through my music, I hear ‘pop pop pop,’ and felt this pain in my chin,” said Newen.

He said, adrenaline kicked in, not knowing if he was hit by bullets, from a pistol or BB’s from an airsoft rifle.

“There was blood everywhere, blood on my hands, blood running down my neck, all over my chin,” said Newen.

He said the car made a U-turn, making him think they were going to shoot at him a second time. Thankfully, they kept driving and that it was a BB pellet and not a bullet from a gun.

“First, it was a surprise, and then it was like, I couldn’t describe it as fear, but a reservation like this is how I’m going to go out,” said Newen.

Newen served in the Marines for six years. He never thought he’d have to look out for his safety, just blocks from where he lives.

“I’ve jogged at night, I’ve jogged in the morning, my wife and I go on walks a lot, this is the first incident. This’s really happened,” said Newen.

He said he hopes to put this past him, adding he will be more vigilant in the future.

“Every time I go out, I have this lingering emotion, like, ‘What if it’s going to happen again?’ I’m not going to let something like that put me down,” said Newen.

The Wichita Police Department said they are actively investigating the BB gun drive-by.

Newen said he was glad his wife and newborn weren’t there when it happened.

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