Horrific Video Shows SUV Slamming Through Wisconsin Parade Leaving 5 Dead, More Than 40 Injured
A parade that was meant to celebrate the arrival of the holidays in Waukesha, Wisconsin turned into an absolute tragedy for those in attendance.
Warning: Details and videos throughout this story may be unsettling and disturbing for some.
According to multiple reports, five people were killed and more than 40 others were injured after a red SUV plowed through the Wisconsin holiday parade on Sunday. NBC News says that 23 people had to be treated throughout six area hospitals. Of those hospitalized, 12 of them were children.
Numerous others took themselves into hospitals to seek treatment. According to Waukesha Police Chief Dan Thompson, a "person of interest" is already in custody as investigators continue to look into what led up to this horrific moment.
Darrell Brooks, 39, from Wisconsin, was identified as a person of interest taken into custody Sunday night and is being questioned.
Multiple cameras were rolling as video footage of the SUV—before, during, and after the incident—surfaced on social media.
Police also said that there would be "no further information" regarding fatalities as the Medical Examiner's office worked to identify the deceased.
This is the most important thing, is the families of this tragic event and making sure that the next of kin is conducted. That is our priority in this tragic incident.
Thompson says an officer did discharge his weapon at the suspect's vehicle in an attempt to stop it. Multiple agencies are looking into the incident, including the White House.
While there has been no official word on the exact circumstances surrounding the incident, there have been multiple officials who say the person of interest does have a "significant criminal history."
Four senior law enforcement officials had said that a person of interest who may have a significant criminal history was being questioned overnight, with investigators probing the possibility that the driver had been fleeing an earlier incident involving a knife fight.
The Milwaukee County DA called Brooks' bail recommendation in an ongoing case "ridiculously low."
A spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee confirmed to NBC News that at least one Catholic priest was injured along with "multiple parishioners and Waukesha Catholic school children" as classes were canceled for public schools on Monday.
Roads and businesses in the area would also remain closed as the investigation continued and locals continued to pick up the pieces after this terrible tragedy.
Waukesha, a suburb of Milwaukee, was celebrating its 58th annual Christmas Parade, which was canceled last year due to the pandemic.
As more details continue to roll in, this story will be updated. Check back in as we pray for Waukesha and those affected by this horrible tragedy.