A tragic accident on May, 2025, claimed the lives of eight individuals, including members of the Oklahoma Chaos AAU basketball team, near Greeley, Kansas. The team was returning to Tulsa after participating in the NXTPRO youth basketball tournament in Kansas City.
The collision occurred on U.S. Route 169 when a southbound SUV, driven by Ja’mon Gilstrap, attempted to pass a slower vehicle and collided head-on with a northbound sedan. Both vehicles erupted into flames upon impact. The deceased from the SUV included Gilstrap, Coach Wayne Walls, and players Donald “DJ” Laster and Kyrin Schumpert. The sole survivor from the SUV was 15-year-old Braden Walls, son of Coach Walls. The sedan’s occupants—Alexander Ernst, Madalyn Elliott, John Elliott, and Norleen Elliott—also perished in the crash .
Bystanders at the scene heroically attempted to rescue those trapped in the burning vehicles. Footage captured by a passerby shows individuals trying to break windows and pull victims from the wreckage, but the intense flames thwarted their efforts. The woman who recorded the video expressed a desire for the victims’ families to know that people tried to help .
The Oklahoma Chaos organization mourned the loss, describing the incident as “an unimaginable tragedy.” Tributes poured in from the community, with educators and peers remembering DJ Laster as a dedicated student-athlete and Kyrin Schumpert as a promising young player .
This devastating event has deeply affected the Tulsa community and the broader youth sports network. Support services have been made available to those impacted by the tragedy.
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