The man accused of deliberately driving his car into a Christmas parade near Milwaukee, killing five people and injuring dozens, was out on bail from a domestic abuse case and was suspected in another violent altercation earlier that day, officials said on Monday.
The suspect, Darrell Brooks, 39, was arrested near the scene of Sunday’s vehicular attack in Waukesha, Wisconsin, and faces five counts of first-degree homicide, Waukesha Police Chief Daniel Thompson said.
In addition to the five people killed – ranging in age from 52 to 81 – 48 were injured, including six chil-dren who remained hospitalized in critical condition on Monday, authorities said.
Unmute Among the victims were members of a parade group calling themselves the “Dancing Grannies,” accord-ing to a statement posted on Facebook on Monday. Thompson said the motive for the attack was still a mystery but that it was clear the suspect had acted intentionally.
“He drove right through the barricades and the offi-cers,” Thompson told a briefing, adding authorities had ruled out terrorism as a motive. Waukesha County District Attorney Sue Opper said the suspect acted alone.
Police were not pursuing Brooks when he plowed into the parade, but one officer fired shots to try to stop the sport utility vehicle. —Agencies
