Five people were killed, and 48 others were injured, including two children in critical condition, when a 39-year-old man driving a maroon SUV plowed into a crowd at a Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin, on Sunday.
The suspect, Darrell Brooks, will be charged with five counts of first-degree intentional homicide and other offenses, according to police chief Dan Thompson.
He was fleeing a domestic violence incident that occurred moments before the tragedy.
“There is no evidence that this is a terrorist incident,” Chief Thompson said. “We have no information that Brooks knew anybody from the parade.”
One officer discharged his firearm to try to stop the suspect but did not strike Brooks or any bystanders.
“He drove right through the barricades and the officers,” Chief Thompson said. “When an officer tried to engage and stop the threat, he still continued through the crowd.
Waukesha Fire Chief Steve Howard described the “carnage” that first responders saw as they provided medical aid to the injured.
“What stands out in my mind from our conversations, we do have people with military backgrounds, and they likened it to a war zone,” Howard said.
Thompson noted that residents also immediately started working with first responders to triage victims and transport them to local hospitals.
“Minutes after the incident occurred, I responded to the scene, and what I saw out of chaos and tragedy was heroes,” Thompson said.
The five deceased victims are 81-year-old Wilhelm Hospel, 79-year-old Virginia Sorenson, 71-year-old LeAnna Owen, 52-year-old Tamara Durand, and 52-year-old Jane Kulich.