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Waukesha Christmas parade attack

Coordinates: 43°00′44″N 88°13′45″W / 43.01222°N 88.22917°W / 43.01222; -88.22917
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Waukesha Christmas parade attack
Site of incident on the corner of Barstow and Main streets, on November 22. Police investigate behind yellow caution tape.
DateNovember 21, 2021
Timec. 4:39 p.m. (CST)
LocationWaukesha, Wisconsin, U.S
Coordinates43°00′44″N 88°13′45″W / 43.01222°N 88.22917°W / 43.01222; -88.22917
TypeVehicle-ramming attack
MotiveUnder investigation
Deaths6
Non-fatal injuries62
AccusedDarrell E. Brooks
Charges5 counts of first-degree intentional homicide[1]

On November 21, 2021, an SUV was driven through the annual Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin, United States, killing six people and injuring 62 others. The alleged driver of the vehicle, 39-year-old Darrell E. Brooks, is in custody. Brooks has been charged with five counts of first-degree intentional homicide.

Background

Waukesha is a western suburb of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Christmas parade has been a traditional procession through downtown Waukesha, and the planned 58th annual parade was cancelled the previous year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[2] The 2021 theme was "Comfort and Joy" and featured over 60 entries.[3]

Incident

Abandoned items from paradegoers on the corner of Broadway and Main St.

On November 21, 2021, around 4:39 p.m. CST, a red Ford Escape SUV, driven at about 40 miles per hour (60 km/h), broke through barricades and drove through the annual Christmas parade in Waukesha.[4][5] One officer fired his gun in an attempt to stop the vehicle.[6][7][8]

The parade was being livestreamed, and other attendees captured the incident on videos that were later posted to social media. Two eyewitnesses told reporters that the driver did not stop initially and all they could hear was people screaming and crying.[9] Others recounted that the driver seemed calm and was weaving across the road,[10] an account not confirmed by police initially.[3] However, on November 23, police reported that Brooks deliberately targeted the crowd, driving in a "zig-zag pattern" to hit as many people as possible.[11]

Victims

During the immediate aftermath of the ramming, five people were confirmed killed and 48 others were injured.[12] The ages of the deceased ranged from 52 to 81.[13] They were identified as four women and one man.[14] By November 23, the number of reported injuries had increased to 62 and the number of fatalities had increased to six after an eight-year-old child died at hospital.[15][11] Seventeen more children were among the wounded.[6][14] Hospitals admitted 28 people, and nine were in critical condition.[12][9][16]

Four of the victims were members of The Milwaukee Dancing Grannies, a dance group composed solely of grandmothers.[17][18] The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee said that parishioners, students, and a priest from a local Catholic school were injured.[3]

An 8 year old boy died and became the sixth victim on November 23. The prosecution said a total of 13 children remain hospitalized and they intend to file an additional charge of homicide for this victim.[19][20]

Accused

On November 22, police recovered the SUV and arrested 39-year-old Darrell Edward Brooks Jr.[16][21][22] On November 23, Brooks was charged with five counts of first-degree intentional homicide, and prosecutors say they will charge him with a sixth one soon.[1][15] Authorities have not identified an alleged motive,[23] but they believe that he acted alone and did not know anyone at the parade.[24][25] Police Chief Daniel Thompson said it was not a terrorist event.[8]

Police were investigating whether the driver may have been fleeing from a nearby domestic disturbance when encountering the parade.[16] The police chief said "We have information that the suspect prior to the incident was involved in a domestic disturbance, which was just minutes prior, and the suspect left that scene just prior to our arrival to that domestic disturbance,"[12] He also said the suspect was not being chased by police when the suspect broke into the parade route.[24]

Brooks had been released on bail a few days before the attack, after posting a $1,000 bond, on charges of driving over an ex-partner.[26][27] According to a criminal complaint filed on November 2, Brooks was accused of running over a woman with his car while she was walking through a gas station parking lot.[1][24]

Following the death of a sixth victim, Brooks' bond was set at $5,000,000, and he remains in custody.[28]

Aftermath

The White House was monitoring the situation shortly after the incident ended. The Waukesha Police Department issued a shelter-in-place order for parts of Waukesha but withdrew it the same evening.[21][29]

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers expressed gratitude for the efforts of first responders and good Samaritans, and voiced support for affected families and community members.[30] He ordered the US and Wisconsin flags to be flown at half-staff the day after the incident in honor of the victims.[31] On November 22, vigils were held across the city.[32] The Waukesha School District canceled school on November 22 and made additional counselors available to students.[21][33]

References

  1. ^ a b c CNN, Kay Jones and Ralph Ellis. "Here's what we know about the suspect in the Waukesha parade tragedy". CNN. Retrieved November 22, 2021. {{cite news}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
  2. ^ Riccioli, Jim (November 16, 2020). "The Waukesha Christmas Parade has been canceled as the coronavirus outbreak continues to worsen in the state". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on November 30, 2020. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c Simmons, Dan; Smith, Mitch; Chiarito, Robert; Jimenez, Jesus; Albeck-Ripka, Livia (November 21, 2021). "Five Dead in Wisconsin After Driver Plows S.U.V. Into Holiday Parade". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 22, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  4. ^ Sanchez, Rosa; Hoyos, Joshua (November 22, 2021). "5 dead, over 40 injured after car drives into Christmas parade in Wisconsin: Police". ABC News. Archived from the original on November 22, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  5. ^ "Waukesha Christmas parade: five dead and 40 injured after car speeds into crowd in Wisconsin". The Guardian. November 22, 2021. Archived from the original on November 22, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  6. ^ a b Bauer, Scott; Householder, Mike (November 21, 2021). "Police: 'Some fatalities' when SUV hits Wisconsin Christmas parade". Associated Press. Archived from the original on November 22, 2021. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
  7. ^ "Waukesha Fire Chief Steve Howard speaks about Waukesha Christmas parade incident". WITI. November 21, 2021. Archived from the original on November 22, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  8. ^ a b Sutton, Joe; Allen, Keith; Caldwell, Travis (November 22, 2021). "Suspect in deadly Waukesha Christmas parade tragedy may have been fleeing another incident, authorities say". CNN. Archived from the original on November 22, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  9. ^ a b Bauer, Scott; Balsamo, Michael; Householder, Mike (November 22, 2021). "Police: Parade-crash suspect was in a domestic disturbance". Associated Press. Archived from the original on November 22, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  10. ^ Dodds, Io (November 22, 2021). "Waukesha parade victims identified after driver plowed into Christmas event – live". The Independent. Archived from the original on November 22, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  11. ^ a b "Child is sixth fatality in Wisconsin parade car-ramming". BBC. November 23, 2021.
  12. ^ a b c Hughes, Clyde; Klein, Rich; Jacobson; Don (November 22, 2021). "Police: Suspect in Wisconsin parade crash was involved in 'domestic disturbance'". United Press International. Archived from the original on November 22, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  13. ^ "8-year-old Jackson Sparks becomes sixth person to die in Waukesha parade tragedy". November 23, 2021.
  14. ^ a b Simmons, Dan; Smith, Mitch; Chiarito, Robert; Thrush, Glenn (November 22, 2021). "Man Intentionally Drove Into Wisconsin Holiday Parade, Police Say: Live Updates". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 22, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  15. ^ a b Speakman, Kimberlee. "Waukesha Parade Death Toll Rises To 6 After Child Succumbs To Injuries". Forbes. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  16. ^ a b c Romero, Dennis; Winter, John; Dienst, Jonathan; Elbaum, Rachel (November 22, 2021). "5 dead, more than 40 as SUV slams into Wisconsin holiday parade". NBC News. Archived from the original on November 22, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  17. ^ "Waukesha Christmas Parade: Three dancing grannies among Wisconsin victims". BBC. November 23, 2021.
  18. ^ Hassan, Jennifer (November 22, 2021). "Beloved 'dancing grannies' among those killed after driver plows through Wisconsin Christmas parade". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 22, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  19. ^ CNN, Kay Jones, Claudia Dominguez, Holly Yan, Travis Caldwell and Amir Vera. "A sixth victim has died after the Waukesha Christmas parade crash, prosecutors say". CNN. Retrieved November 24, 2021. {{cite news}}: |last1= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  20. ^ "Child becomes sixth to die after SUV slammed into Christmas parade in Wisconsin, prosecutor says - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
  21. ^ a b c Beech, Eric; Ulmer, Alexandra (November 22, 2021). "Five dead, more than 40 injured after vehicle plows through Wisconsin parade". Reuters. Archived from the original on November 22, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  22. ^ Treisman, Rachel (November 22, 2021). "What we know about the Waukesha Christmas Parade incident". NPR. Archived from the original on November 22, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  23. ^ Spocchia, Gino (November 23, 2021). "Waukesha suspect Darrell Brooks caught on camera after parade tragedy". Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  24. ^ a b c Shivaram, Deepa (November 22, 2021). "Suspect in Waukesha Christmas parade attack had prior criminal record". NPR.
  25. ^ Lord, Debbie (November 22, 2021). "Darrell Brooks Jr.: What we know about suspect in the Waukesha Christmas parade tragedy". KIRO-TV. Cox Media Group. Archived from the original on November 22, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  26. ^ "Suspect in Wisconsin Christmas parade attack identified as Darrell Brooks". The Independent. November 22, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  27. ^ Li, David K.; Winter, Tom; Kosnar, Michael (November 22, 2021). "Darrell Brooks, 39, in custody following deadly crash in Waukesha, Wisconsin". Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  28. ^ Saavedra, Marie (November 23, 2021). "Jackson Sparks, 8, Becomes Sixth Victim To Die After SUV Plows Through Waukesha Christmas Parade, Bail For Suspect Darrell Brooks Set At $5 Million". CBS Chicago. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  29. ^ Craig, Denise (November 22, 2021). "Car drives through Wisconsin parade, shots fired, witnesses say". WXIN. Archived from the original on November 22, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  30. ^ Rawling, Gillian (November 22, 2021). "Governor Evers "praying for Waukesha tonight"". WMTV. Archived from the original on November 22, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  31. ^ Jones, Kyle (November 22, 2021). "Gov. Evers orders flags to half-staff after Waukesha parade tragedy". WISC-TV. Archived from the original on November 22, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  32. ^ Kozlowicz, Cathy (November 22, 2021). "Candlelight vigils, gatherings held to support those affected by the Waukesha Christmas Parade tragedy". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on November 22, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  33. ^ "Carroll University in Waukesha in isolation after car rams city parade". AsumeTech. November 22, 2021. Archived from the original on November 22, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
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