Waukesha community mourns 5 dead after SUV plows through Christmas parade crowd
WAUKESHA, Wis. - There was an emotional vigil Monday night as a Wisconsin community mourns an unthinkable tragedy.
Five lives were lost Sunday and dozens of people were injured after an SUV plowed through a Christmas parade in Waukesha.
The vigil comes as questions about the criminal past of the suspect continue.
On Monday, we learned 39-year-old Darrell Brooks Jr. has multiple violent felonies on record. He was released on cash bond twice in the last year for multiple charges, most recently on November 11.
Now, police say they believe he was fleeing the scene of another incident when he reached the parade.
Darrell Brooks
Both witnesses and the victims are left reeling, and two children are in critical condition.
Residents of Waukesha came together to pray for those who were killed and injured and to begin what will be a long process of healing from Sunday’s tragedy.
About 1,000 people — many holding candles — stood silently in a downtown Waukesha park, just blocks from the scene of the horrific tragedy.
Brooks of Milwaukee has been charged with five counts of intentional homicide after police say he blasted through barricades and drove his red SUV into the middle of Waukesha’s annual Christmas parade, striking members of a high school marching band, a kids dance team and a popular group called the "Dancing Grannies."
Five people were killed and 48 injured — many of them children.
"Subject was taken into custody a short distance from the scene and we are confident he acted alone. There is no evidence this is a terrorist incident," said Waukesha Police Chief Dan Thompson.
Police say Brooks was involved in a domestic dispute that included a knife fight just before the rampage, but had left the scene before they arrived.
He was just released from jail on Friday after posting bond for a November 5th domestic assault in which police say he used his car as a weapon to drive over a woman at a gas station.
"Last night our wonderful parade became a scene of a horrible tragedy. Last night that parade became a nightmare," said Waukesha Mayor Shawn Reilly.
On Monday, most of the businesses along the parade route were closed, with flowers and signs marking the scene of the tragedy.
"The fear and terror on people’s faces is something I’ll never forget," said Dan Schneiderman.
Schneiderman was handing out candy on Sunday outside the record store he owns on the parade route.
"Chaos happened. People were screaming and running up the street. I opened my door and said come inside! Come inside! And rushed as many people in here as I could," Schneiderman said.
Jaymz Touchstone’s daughter was marching in the parade. Luckily, she wasn’t hurt.
"He didn’t try to stop. He didn’t blow his horn. He made no attempt to break. He probably had 35 yards he could’ve stopped at before he hit the people. So he cleared that gap and he hit the people," Touchstone said.
Waukesha schools canceled classes on Monday and will also cancel them on Tuesday, with counselors available.
Police say Brooks is facing additional charges.
Meanwhile, we are learning more about the victims.
52-year-old Jane Kulich was at the parade representing her bank. She leaves behind three children and three grandkids.
79-year-old Virginia Sorenson and 52-year-old Tamara Durand were both members of the Dancing Grannies — a beloved group that had appeared at parades for decades. This was Durand's first parade.
Other victims killed include 71-year-old Leanna Owen, who was also a Dancing Granny, and 81-year-old Wilhelm Hospel who volunteered with the group.
Officials gave new details Monday on who was injured in the tragedy. Children's Hospital Wisconsin says that 18 children were brought to their emergency room, ranging in age from 3-years-old to 16. They had broken bones and serious head injuries.
Eight of those patients had to undergo surgery.
"The injuries from Sunday night will go well beyond the physical and will take time to heal. We all must continue to lean on each other and to encourage those impacted to reach out and use the resources that are available to them. Each of these injuries impacts a family friends and a larger circle beyond those immediately injured," a health official said.
The injured children include three sets of siblings.