Photo: Waukesha Police Department
Authorities in Wisconsin have charged Darrell Brooks Jr. with five counts of first-degree intentional homicide after he allegedly drove through a Christmas parade in Waukesha on Sunday (November 21).
Five people were killed, and more than 40 others were injured when a red SUV plowed through the crowd and ran over people marching in the parade. The victims were between the ages of 52 and 81 and included members of the Milwaukee Dancing Grannies.
The Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee said that it treated 18 children for injuries, and ten were in intensive care. Six of those children are in critical condition.
Waukesha Police Chief Daniel Thompson said that Brooks was involved in a "domestic disturbance" minutes before he allegedly drove through the crowd.
"We have information that the suspect prior to the incident was involved in a domestic disturbance which was just minutes prior, and the suspect left that scene just prior to our arrival to that domestic disturbance," Thompson said during a press conference.
Thompson added that an officer did open fire on Brooks but stopped because of the danger posed by the crowd.
"When the suspect was driving through and into the crowd, one officer did discharge his firearm and fire shots at the suspect to stop the threat but due to the amount of people, had to stop, stop and fire — not fire any other additional shots," he explained.
Brooks has multiple cases pending dating back to last year. The first case stems from an incident in 2020 in which he was charged with two counts of second-degree recklessly endangering and being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to Fox News, his bail was initially set at $10,000 but was reduced to $7,500. After a scheduling conflict, his bail was reduced to $500, and he was released on February 21, 2021.
Brooks found himself back in jail earlier this month after he allegedly tried to run over a woman with his SUV. He was charged with reckless endangerment, felony bail jumping, battery, obstructing an officer, and disorderly conduct and released on a $1,000 bail on November 11.
Officials said they are conducting an internal review of why Brooks' bail was set at an "inappropriately low" level.