Debris littered the streets at a crime scene Sunday in Waukesha, Wis., after a person in an SUV crashed into pedestrians at a holiday parade.
Image of Jim Vondruska / Getty
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Debris littered the streets at a crime scene Sunday in Waukesha, Wis., after a person in an SUV crashed into pedestrians at a holiday parade.
Image of Jim Vondruska / Getty
What was supposed to be a joyous occasion in Waukesha, Wis., turned into tragedy Sunday afternoon when the driver of the SUV plowed into a crowd of people. at the city’s annual holiday parade.
Local officials said at least five people were dead and more than 40 others, including children, were injured.
According to law enforcement, a person of interest is in custody, but police have shared some details and did not reveal the person’s identity.
Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul said in a tweet Sunday that the state Department of Justice is assisting with the response to the case and will provide resources for the further investigation.
“What happened in Waukesha today is appalling, and I am confident that those responsible will be brought to justice,” he said.
Governor of Wisconsin, Tony Evers ordered All U.S. and state flags will be flown at half a foot on Monday, as well as on the day of each victim’s funeral.
Waukesha officials said they would provide more information on social media and at a briefing scheduled for 1pm CST. Here’s what we know so far about the incident and its aftermath:
Age-old holiday tradition turns deadly
Local residents gathered in the downtown area of Waukesha – a western suburb of Milwaukee – on Sunday for for the 58th annual Christmas Parade.
The Chamber of Commerce-sponsored event usually takes place the Sunday before Thanksgiving. It was canceled last year because of the pandemic but returned this year with the theme of “Comfort and Joy.”
The participants running the game range from police officers and firefighters to local political parties, dance troupes and high school marching bands.
The event took a tragic turn at around 4:39 p.m. local time – less than an hour after the scheduled start time – when a red SUV sped past the parade route.
Video from the scene shows a vehicle speeding down the street, passing several participants as spectators watched from the sidewalk. It then began to change direction and plunge into the line of marchers, as the sound of the marching music was completely replaced by the screams of onlookers.
Another video on social media shows the SUV swerving over an obstacle on a low floor and speeding away from the scene.
A law enforcement officer can be seen in a video, chase the SUV on foot for a short distance. Waukesha Police Chief Dan Thompson later told reporters that no witnesses were injured by the gun.
“We don’t believe any shots were fired from the vehicle,” he said.
A person of interest is in custody
City talk overnight that the police had arrested a person interested in custody but did not specify.
“The scene remains intact and the investigation is ongoing,” its Facebook post said.
Thompson said the vehicle in question was recovered, though he did not specify whether the person in custody was the driver. He said it was not known if there was any “link to terrorism.”
Details of the victim are scant but emerging
Authorities have not confirmed the identities of those injured or killed, although some groups participating in the parade are posting updates on social media.
Groups like Milwaukee Dancing Grannies, Waukesha Xtreme Dance and Catholic Community of Waukesha issued a statement late Sunday through early Monday saying members of its group were among those killed or injured.
The Dancing Grannies confirmed on Monday morning that its members were among those who have died. In one Facebook post, the group says the parade participants are doing what they love: performing in front of crowds and bringing joy to audiences of all ages.
“The ones who died were extremely passionate Grannies,” they wrote. “Their eyes sparkled…..the joy of being Grannie. They were the glue….that kept us together.”
As NPR reported, students from the Waukesha School District also participated in the parade, and many of the school’s marching bands participated in the parade. listed in its product line.
The Archdiocese of Milwaukee said in a statement On Sunday that one of the Catholic priests, many parishioners and Catholic students of Waukesha were among those injured.
Several marchers took to social media to say they were not injured. These include State Representative Sara Rodriguez, Alderman Don Paul Browne and volunteers with Waukesha County Democratic Party.
Pewaukee’s Aspire Dance Center confirms on Facebook that all of its dancers have been safe reunion with their family.
Dozens of people have been hospitalized
Waukesha Fire Chief Steven Howard on Sunday said 11 adults and 12 pediatric patients were transported to six hospitals in the area.
Children Wisconsin says it has reported performed in 15 patients As of 8 p.m. local time, no deaths have been reported. In one Monday morning update, they said they helped treat 18 children injured during the parade.
Aurora-Summit Medical Center told NPR via email Monday morning that it is treating 13 patients. Among them, three are in critical condition, four are in serious condition and six are in good condition.
“We are praying for all those affected, their families and our first responders,” the hospital said.
Witnesses described tragic and chaotic scenes
Viewers spoke of shock and horror at witnessing an act of violence at what was supposed to be a family-friendly event.
Waukesha resident Lindsey Ashley, 36 years old, tell NPR that she enjoyed the parade with her two young children when the SUV was driven by them.
She said: “The SUV was glowing right where we were sitting and we heard the crash and the screams of people. “I grabbed the kids and took off. Everyone was helping ‘escort’ the others to safety.”
She said her children, aged 7 and 9, now never want to go to a parade again.
Another Waukesha resident, Tailyr Medrano, said she witnessed the collision right in front of her while holding her 1-year-old son in her arms.
She told NPR via Facebook messenger that she had taken her toddler to the parade to meet Santa for the first time, but instead “he saw a red dog running past people.” was supposed to be entertaining us and the children on the ground were bleeding.”
Officials say people of all ages were affected by the collision, with Evers’ flag-lowering order saying the vehicle “hit multiple adults and children.”
Corey Montiho, a board member for the Waukesha School District, told Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that his daughter’s youth dance team had been hit by bullets.
“There were bombs, shoes and hot chocolate all over the place. I had to go from crumpled body to body to find my daughter,” he said, adding that his family was safe. but many people can’t and begged everyone to pray.
Prominent voices calling for help and praying
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki tweeted early Monday that President Biden has been briefed on the situation in Waukesha. She said, “He will receive regular updates. Our team is in close contact with local officials to offer any support and help needed. The heart of we’re for families and entire communities.”
The FBI is helping with the investigation, its Milwaukee division said, noting that assisting local law enforcement partners is standard practice for the agency.
Waukesha Mayor Shawn Reilly told reporters on Sunday that county, state, and federal officials have all been contacted with offers of help.
Reilly, who led the parade, recalled seeing the smiling faces of children and their parents as they watched from the curb.
“I am deeply saddened to learn that so many people in our community went to march but ended up facing injury and heartbreak,” he said.
NFL’s defensive finish JJ Watt comes from Waukesha. He tweeted on Sunday“Just witnessed what happened at the Waukesha homecoming holiday parade tonight. Horrifying image. Really hope everyone is okay and those who were not involved are safe now. ”
Milwaukee Bucks Release a announced on sunday Sending condolences to the victims’ relatives and thanking those who helped at the scene.
“What we witnessed today is beyond comprehension, so we encourage the Wisconsin community to support each other during this time of grief,” the team added.
Local officials announced Monday morning that the Waukesha County Community Foundation and the United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County are partnering with create a community fund that will support the needs of the families affected by Sunday’s tragedy.
Schools and businesses are closed on Monday
Waukesha Public School closed on monday, but the district said it is providing additional counselors at all of its buildings for students who need assistance. It is also providing lunch in the bag to pick up at multiple locations.
School officials said Tuesday’s operational decisions will be made on Monday.
Carroll University, a private liberal arts college located in Waukesha, is cancel class all week in an effort to help the campus community heal.
Waukesha City Hall is also closed to the public on Mondays, Officials announced. They say that Main Street will not reopen “before midday” on Monday and advised businesses there to close due to limited traffic.
More information is expected during the day
The city said On Sunday night that it is working to notify the victim’s next of kin. It operates a family intake center – and provides counseling services – at Waukesha South High School.
Local officials are scheduled to hold another press conference at 1pm CST. They said any further updates would come from the city’s social media accounts.
And Wisconsin for kids — which operates two hospitals in the state — said it would hold a news conference at 11 a.m. CST.
Jaclyn Diaz, Emma Bowman and Dustin Jones of NPR contributed to this report.
