Wisconsin: Five dead after car ploughs into Waukesha Christmas parade

Wisconsin: Five dead after car ploughs into Waukesha Christmas parade
Published 49 minutes ago

At least five people have been killed and more than 40 injured after a car ploughed into a Christmas parade in the US state of Wisconsin, police say.

School bands and a dance troupe of grannies were among those marching through the city of Waukesha when a red SUV came speeding down the road.

It hit dozens of people, including children.

One person is in custody. The incident does not appear "at this time" to be an act of terrorism, one official said.

The suspect appeared to have been fleeing another scene when he ran into people at the parade, the law enforcement official - who is familiar with the early findings of the investigation - told the BBC's US partner CBS News.

Local resident Angelito Tenorio told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel newspaper he had just finished marching in the parade when the SUV "put the pedal to the metal and just [started] zooming full speed along the parade route" at about 16:40 (22:40 GMT).

"Then we heard a loud bang, and just deafening cries and screams from people who are struck by the vehicle," he said.

Corey Montiho said his daughter's dance team was hit by the SUV.

"There were pom-poms and shoes and spilled hot chocolate everywhere. I had to go from one crumpled body to the other to find my daughter," he told the paper.

The parade in Waukesha - a community of about 72,000 located to the west of Milwaukee - is traditionally held every year on the Sunday before Thanksgiving, and includes fancy dress, floats, dancers and marching bands. This year's theme was "comfort and joy".

Families lined the sides of the road to watch the event, which was returning after a year's absence due to the coronavirus pandemic.

One video shared on social media shows the car crashing at high speed through street barriers, while another shows the vehicle driving into what looks like a group of musicians.

Police officers ran down the street during the incident, telling people to take shelter in shops. Police chief Dan Thompson told reporters that officers had fired at the car to try to stop it.

Jason Kellner told the New York Times newspaper he had just watched his son go past with his school marching band when the car came towards the crowd and "started mowing people down".

"I've never felt a worse feeling; wondering what I'm going to find when I get to my kid," he said.

Mr Kellner found his son standing unharmed at the side of the road, but saw several injured people and pulled a bloody saxophone off the street.

Another witness told Milwaukee's Fox6 TV station that there was silence, followed by screaming, running and checking on those injured after the vehicle hit a dance team of girls aged between about nine and 15.

The Milwaukee Dancing Grannies said some of its members "were impacted and we are waiting for word on their conditions".

"Please keep the Grannies, all those injured, and all those who witnessed this horrible event in your thoughts and prayers," the group wrote on its Facebook page.

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee said one of its priests, multiple parishioners and students at a local Catholic school were among the injured.

Photos of a red SUV with a crumpled bonnet parked in a driveway were posted on Twitter by TV station CBS 58.

Chief Thompson said officers had recovered a "suspect vehicle" and a person of interest was in custody, but gave no further details. He added that the investigation was "very fluid".

Officials in Waukesha warned that the number of fatalities and injuries could change as additional information is collected. They said some people had transported themselves to local hospitals.

Fire chief Steven Howard told reporters that his department had taken 11 adults and 12 children to nearby hospitals after the incident.

The Children's Wisconsin hospital said it had received 15 patients as of 20:00, while the Aurora Medical Center-Summit said it was treating 13 people, including three in a critical condition.

Mayor Shawn Reilly described the incident as a "horrible, senseless tragedy".

"I am deeply saddened to know that so many in our community went to a parade but ended up dealing with injury and heartache," he said.

Waukesha's public schools will be closed on Monday, and counselling services have been made available to those affected.

The perp:



https://citizenfreepress.com/breaking/mass-casualty-incident-in-wisconsin-car-plows-through-christmas-parade-developing/

Suspect in Wisconsin Parade Rampage Had Sordid History of Violence
Pilar Melendez, Adam Rawnsley, The Daily Beast
Mon, November 22, 2021, 8:29 AM·6 min read

The lone suspect in the SUV attack that killed at least five and injured dozens more at a quaint holiday parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin, on Sunday has been identified as a 39-year-old sex offender who recently posted bail on reckless-endangerment charges.

Darrell Brooks is set to be charged with five counts of intentional homicide in connection with the Sunday evening incident involving a red Ford Escape that plowed through barricades and into the crowd, sparking panic and unleashing mass bloodshed.

Waukesha Chief Daniel Thompson said during a press conference Monday that Brooks was the sole suspect in the incident, which occurred just minutes after he was involved “in a domestic disturbance.”

“No evidence this is a terrorist incident,” Thompson said. “We are confident he acted alone.”

Thompson named five confirmed fatalities, victims whose ages range from 52 to 81 years old. They have been identified as Virginia Sorenson, 79; LeAnna Owen, 71; Tamara Durand, 52; Jane Kulich, 52; and Wilhelm Hospel, 81.

The sprawling disaster left members of the Milwaukee Dancing Grannies among the dead, and at least a dozen children and a priest among some 48 injured.

Public records show Brooks has a significant criminal history in Wisconsin that spans over two decades. This past Friday, he posted a cash bond in connection with charges including resisting or obstructing an officer, bail jumping, recklessly endangering safety with domestic-abuse assessments, disorderly conduct with a domestic-abuse assessment, and battery.

Joseph Thomas Domask, a lawyer who is representing Brooks in that case, declined to comment about the Sunday incident to The Daily Beast. Domask added that he was not representing Brooks in any case tied to the parade, and has not been in contact with the man or his family since.

The Milwaukee County District Attorney said on Monday that Brooks should not have been released on such an “inappropriately low” $1,000 cash bond last week given his past charges. In the most recent case, dating from an incident on Nov. 2, a woman with whom Brooks had a child told cops he had deliberately tried to run her over with his car after an altercation. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

According to a criminal complaint of the incident obtained by The Daily Beast, “an officer observed tire tracks on [the woman’s] left pants leg,” and noted that she had dry blood on her face, prompting authorities to take her to a local hospital. Investigators are conducting an internal review of the bail recommendation in that case, the DA added.

A woman who said she dated Brooks when they were teenagers and requested anonymity for fear of retaliation told The Daily Beast on Monday she was horrified to learn his name had been connected to the slaughter. “I was devastated, it makes me sick to my stomach,” she said. “Those poor people, my heart hurts especially for those babies.”

Brooks is also facing felony charges that include recklessly endangering safety and possession of a firearm that were filed in July 2020. A criminal complaint of the incident obtained by The Daily Beast states that Brooks’ grandmother told authorities he had a physical fight with his nephew.

The nephew later told police that he confronted his uncle about “having his old cell phone.” As he was trying to leave with this friend, the nephew said, Brooks “walked into the front yard with a gun and fired one shot at them.”

He has several prior convictions, including a substantial battery felony charge in 1999. The charge was later dismissed.

Brooks has pleaded guilty or no contest to bail-jumping, obstructing an officer, and operating a vehicle while on suspended license over the years. In 2010, he was found guilty of felony strangulation and suffocation following a no-contest plea. Brooks was sentenced to three years of probation with a court order to receive counseling, “take prescribed medication” and cease contact with the victim.

Nevada’s state Sex Offender Registry shows an entry for Brooks alongside a 2006 conviction for statutory sexual seduction, which state law defines as sex between an adult at least 18 years of age “with a person under the age of 16 years old.”

Among other things, Brooks also appears to be an amateur rapper who appeared under the name MathBoi Fly on YouTube. A since-deleted YouTube channel, first reported by Heavy, features several music videos—and a red SUV could be seen in at least one of the clips.

Brooks appears to have used a number of stage names throughout the course of his aspiring rap career, including “Jay Fly,” “Math Boi,” and “B.L.A.$.” A reverbnation page linked to Brooks via email and Twitter accounts describes him as “the next breakout artist from the Midwest” who’s “finally ready to put Milwaukee back on the map.”

A Facebook page matching the name alias MathBio Fly also commented on the Kyle Rittenhouse verdict on Friday. The trial, in which the 18-year-old was acquitted of all charges for killing two people and injuring a third during the unrest in Kenosha, was about an hour away from Brooks’ residence.

“I wasn’t surprised 1 bit,” MathBoi Fly wrote in response to a friend commenting about the Rittenhouse verdict.

There is no indication the Sunday attack was connected to the verdict, nor political in nature.

A Twitter page also matching the same alias describes him as a “Milwaukee,WI born & raised, rapper/songwriter/producer/ stoner/philosopher next big thing out the Midwest if u aint know,get in tune.”

Authorities say that around 4:40 p.m. local time Sunday, a red SUV stormed past several barricades and barreled into a crowd attending the Milwaukee suburb’s 58th annual Christmas parade. Videos of the incident posted online showed the car apparently trying to swerve around some marching band members before plowing into the crowd. The car continued directly into the parade, running over people as attendees frantically tried to scatter away.

Police said a Waukesha officer with six years on the force fired at the SUV in an attempt to stop it, though no one appeared to have been hit by the bullets. The Wisconsin Department of Justice and the FBI were assisting in the investigation.

Citizens Bank said in a statement that a female employee was among the five people who died on Sunday, but declined to provide additional information. Dr. Amy Drendel with Children’s Wisconsin said in a Monday press conference that 18 children ages 3 to 16 were admitted with a wide range of injuries in connection with the incident. Among those children, six of whom had immediate surgery on Sunday night, were three sets of siblings.

At least six children were still deemed to be in critical condition, Drendel added.

To his ex-girlfriend from many years ago, Brooks’ alleged crimes were horrifying, but not inconceivable.

“All I can tell you is that he is obviously sick, and what he’s done is irredeemable,” she told The Daily Beast.

Temple wrote:

''One video shared on social media shows the car crashing at high speed through street barriers, while another shows the vehicle driving into what looks like a group of musicians.''''


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This video is unavailable.

The Wise And Powerful wrote:

Temple wrote:

''One video shared on social media shows the car crashing at high speed through street barriers, while another shows the vehicle driving into what looks like a group of musicians.''''

youtube]///[/youtube

This video is unavailable.

0ooh damn--
it was the vid showing the car running over the people..
It was a nasty view-- Must be too much for youtube..
It was labeled; you had to click to accept to view warnings etc.

The guy was supposedly let out on extremely low bail or bond for prior felony charges
His bail at $1000 was ridiculously low .. ... A bail bond at 10% would be $100 ..
https://www.theblaze.com/news/christmas-parade-suspect-inappropriately-low-bail

6th Person, A Child, Has Died From Waukesha Car Attack; Alleged Killer Offered Bail Again
By Daily Wire News • Nov 23, 2021 • DailyWire.com

A 6th person, a child, has died from the car attack that unfolded on Sunday in Waukesha, Wisconsin, when a 39-year-old black male plowed into a Christmas Parade, injuring 61 people.

“The suspect was charged Tuesday with five counts of first-degree intentional homicide in the parade incident, court documents show,” CNN reported.

Authorities are expected to file a 6th first-degree homicide charge against the suspect in the wake of the child being killed.

“The suspect’s bail was set at $5 million,” the Associated Press reported. “He will likely appear in court next on Jan. 14, 2022.”

CBS 58 reported that the 8-year-old boy who died also had a 12-year-old brother who was hit during the massacre.

The local news station identified a church, LifePoint Church, that posted an update on the situation.

The church stated:

Aaron Sparks and Sheri Sparks would like to thank everyone for your prayers and amazing support during this difficult time.

They wanted to give an update to everyone as you are likely aware, Tucker (12) and Jackson Sparks were both seriously injured during the Waukesha Christmas Parade attack and have been in the ICU since.

Tucker, by the grace of God is miraculously recovering from his injuries and will be being discharged home. This afternoon, our dear Jackson has sadly succumbed to his injuries and passed away.

Please know that they appreciate your continued prayers and tremendous outpouring of support for their family. They do however ask for privacy at this time to allow Tucker to continue to heal physically and their family to heal and mourn the tremendous loss of their sweet little boy who is now under the care of Jesus.

“A lone subject intentionally drove his maroon SUV through barricades into a crowd of people that was celebrating the Waukesha Christmas Parade which resulted in killing five individuals and injuring 48 additional individuals,” Waukesha Police Chief Daniel Thompson said at a press conference. “I just received information that two of the 48 are children and they’re in critical condition.”

The suspect “has been charged with or convicted on an array of charges over the past 22 years, including battery, domestic violence, cocaine possession and resisting arrest in several jurisdictions in Wisconsin,” The New York Times reported. “He has served at least two jail sentences and spent years on probation and in court-mandated work-release and anger management programs …”

Earlier this month, the suspect was arrested for allegedly punching his child’s mother in the face and hitting her with his car at a gas station. The criminal complaint from the incident says that “officers observed tire tracks on her left pants leg.”

The suspect was later released on $1,000 bail, which the Milwaukee Co. District Attorney said in statement today was “inappropriately low in light of the nature of the recent charges and the pending charges” against the suspect. “The bail recommendation in this case is not consistent with the approach of the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office toward matters involving violent crime, nor was it consistent with the risk assessment of the defendant prior to setting of bail,” the statement added.

This article says he was released on $1000 *bond* ..which would mean his bail was set at $10,000 .. Which is still extremely low considering .. From what i gather, he was already charged with bail jumping among other felonies

... Unlike bail, when a bondsman posts a bond you pay 10% of the bail ..the bondsman posts the full amount, which is why they have bounty hunters, otherwise the bondsman is out the 90% if you don't show up for court .. You don't get that 10% back either way

.. I'd be surprised if he'd sacrifice $1000 to get outta jail but i don't know his finances .. I heard he was a pimp ..heh .. Can't keep the ladies working by running them over with a SUV .. His girlfriend had tire marks on her leg .. Sheesh ..SMH

https://www.breitbart.com/crime/2021/11/22/reports-darrell-e-brooks-identified-as-person-of-interest-in-wisconsin-christmas-parade-massacre/