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Child dies, taking Wisconsin parade crash death toll to six

November 23, 2021

An eight-year-old boy has become the sixth person to die after a driver rammed into a Christmas parade in Wisconsin. The suspect has appeared in court charged with homicide.

https://p.dw.com/p/43OJE
Kenosha residents attend a candlelight vigil in remembrance of the victims a day after a car plowed through a holiday parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin
The US was left in a state of shock after the car plowed into the Christmas paradeImage: Daniel Steinle/REUTERS

Another victim of Sunday's deadly attack on the Waukesha parade in the US state of Wisconsin died on Tuesday, prosecutors said, bringing the death toll so far to six.

The latest casualty was an eight-year-old child. More than 60 people were injured in the incident.

The news of the death came as the suspect Darrell Brooks Jr made his first appearance in court, charged with five counts of intentional homicide. The charges had been announced before the most recent death, and he is now likely to face a sixth. The court commissioner set bail at $5 million (€4.5 million).

What do we know so far?

The 39-year-old suspect had been released on bail days earlier after being arrested for intentionally striking a woman with his car. Police had also received a domestic disturbance complaint on the day of the attack but did not manage to track him down before the incident.

Authorities said that he had intentionally broken through a police barrier that was closing the road off for Sunday's parade. Witnesses said that the driver made no attempt to slow down after plowing into a group of people.

The oldest victim in the incident was 81, with several members of the "Milwaukee Dancing Grannies" among those lost.

At least 18 children were injured, with some left in critical condition.

The driver was arrested near the scene of the crime and police ruled out terrorism saying that Brooks acted alone. 

Police investigate at the scene of a crash involving multiple people and injuries at a holiday parade in Waukesha
The deadly incident happened during the town's annual Christmas parade with hundreds of people in attendanceImage: Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel via AP/picture alliance

How have people reacted?

Pope Francis sent a message of condolence to the Roman Catholic bishop of Milwaukee on Tuesday, commending "the souls of those who died."

President Joe Biden called Sunday's attack "horrific."

The Dancing Grannies group posted a message on Facebook saying that "our hearts are heavy over the loss of our grannies and volunteers." Some of their members were also among the injured, but they added that at least one had been released from the hospital.

Republican State Representative Cindi Duchow condemned the $1,000 bail set for the suspect's earlier alleged vehicular attack and called for a constitutional amendment in the state to allow judges to set bail based on the risk posed by the defendant and not just their flight risk.

"He tried to run over his girlfriend with his car — that's attempted murder,'' Duchow said. "If you're a danger to society, you should have to work hard to get out.''

ab/rt (AP, Reuters)