Waukesha Police Chief Dan Thompson named 39-year-old Darrell Brooks as the lone suspect. No charges have yet been made. Thompson confirmed that a police officer fired several shots to try to stop the vehicle. The incident is not considered an act of terrorism.
Hospital officials confirm 18 children were brought in for treatment. Nine remain in critical or serious condition and two have been released. Their injuries range from facial abrasions to broken bones and head injuries. Many people took themselves to hospitals following the incident, officials noted.
The live updates for this blog have ended.
Brooks will have his initial and preliminary hearing Tuesday at the Waukesha County Courthouse at 4 p.m. CST.
The memorial is hosted by the Association of Waukesha Congregations, The Brookfield Elm Grove Interfaith Network (BEGIN) and The Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee. It will be held near Cutler Park, close to downtown Waukesha.
The victims are:
79-year-old Virginia Sorenson 71-year-old LeAnna Owen 52-year-old Tamara Durand 52-year-old Jane Kulich 81-year-old Wilhelm Hospel
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“Last night, people of Waukesha were gathered to celebrate the start of a season of hope and togetherness and thanksgiving,” Biden said.
“This morning, the entire Biden family…pray that that same spirit going to embrace and uplift all victims of this tragedy, bringing comfort to those recovering from their injuries and wrapping the families of those who died in the support of their community.”
Biden thanked first responders, from law enforcement to hospital workers, and said the administration is “monitoring the situation very closely.”
The victims who died include two 52-year-old women, a 71-year-old woman, a 79-year-old woman and an 81-year-old man.
Thompson identified 39-year-old Darrell E. Brooks as the lone suspect. Brooks has been taken into police custody and police say they are confident he acted alone.
Police said the incident was not a terrorist event and was not the result of a police pursuit. They did say Brooks was involved in a “domestic dispute” prior to the incident.
Thompson said he will recommend Brooks is charged with five counts of first-degree intentional homicide.
In a statement, DA John Chisholm said Darrell Brooks was charged with Second Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety, Felony Bail Jumping, Battery, Obstructing and Officer and Disorderly Conduct on November 5.
The state set a cash bail request at $1,000 which Brooks posted on November 11, resulting in his release from police custody.
Chisholm said the bail recommendation was “inappropriately low in light of the nature of the charges and pending charges” against Brooks.
“The bail recommendation in this case is not consistent with the approach of the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office towards matters involving violent crime, nor was it consistent with the risk assessment of the defendant prior to setting of bail,” Chisholm said.
He added that his office is currently conducting an internal review of the decision to make this bail recommendation.
FULL STORY: Darrell Brooks Should Not Have Been Released on Low Bail, Milwaukee DA Admits
Dr. Amy Drendel, the medical director emergency department and trauma center, said the children’s ages range from 3 to 16 and there are three sets of siblings.
Ten patients were admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit, trauma unit Director Dr. Michael Meyer said.
Six children are in critical condition, three are in serious condition and one is in fair condition. Eight other children are in fair condition in other units of the hospital.
Their injuries include facial abrasions, broken bones and head injuries. However, the officials also noted the serious mental and emotional trauma patients have endured.
“The injuries will go well beyond the physical and will take time to heal,” Chief medical officer Dr. Michael Gutzeit said.
The hospital received patients from 5:30 p.m. until midnight, as patients from other hospitals were transferred to Children’s Wisconsin “into the night,” Dr. Drendel said.
Two patients will undergo surgeries today and two children have already been discharged.
City Hall will remain closed to the public Monday and media will only be allowed to enter for the press conference, the city said in a tweet.
The city also shared resources to help those experiencing emotional distress following the deadly parade incident.
The hospital said it “immediately prepared for a surge of patients” after the incident. As of 8 p.m. Sunday, there were no reports of fatalities among the 15 patients brought in for treatment.
“The Children’s Wisconsin Emergency Department and Trauma Center is fully open to support any community need, in addition to responding to this fluid and dynamic situation,” the hospital said in a statement Sunday.
Hospital officials will hold a virtual news conference to share a “high-level” update at 11 a.m. central time.
The group declined to provide further information but urged everybody to keep the victims “forever in your thoughts and prayers.”
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Court records show Darrell Brooks, who has been identified as the person taken into custody on Sunday night by NBC and the Associated Press, made a court appearance on November 12 and posted the bond on November 19. But a note states the actual date the bond was posted with the sheriff was November 11.
The bond was posted in a case where Brooks is facing felony charges of bail jumping and second-degree recklessly endangering safety with domestic abuse assessments. He is also facing misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and battery, both with domestic abuse assessments.
FULL STORY: Darrell Brooks Released on Cash Bond Before Driving into Parade
The official told the AP investigators were questioning the person in custody about that incident. The official described it as “an altercation involving a knife.”
The ongoing investigation is still in its early stages, the official said. The officials could not discuss the investigation publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.
Brooks has not been charged with any crime in connection with Sunday’s incident and police have not identified him as a suspect.
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None of the patients admitted to the hospital - 20 miles away in Milwaukee - have died as of 8pm CT (9pm ET).
The reason behind the incident is not yet known and the group, which has become a major part of the story on social media, did not release any further details.
