Wisconsin in mourning after deadly Christmas parade tragedy
Former lieutenant governor of Wisconsin Rebecca Kleefisch (R) responds to the tragedy that struck a Christmas parade in Waukesha and how the community plans to move forward.
The man being questioned after a red SUV plowed through Waukesha's Christmas parade, killing at least five people and injuring dozens, has been identified as Darrell E. Brooks Jr., a Milwaukee man with a criminal history dating back to 1999 that includes numerous violent felonies.
Waukesha Police Chief Dan Thompson said Monday afternoon that he is referring five counts of first-degree intentional homicide in addition to other charges against the 39-year-old longtime felon to the district attorney's office.
Police said early Monday that a red SUV plowed into pedestrians Sunday evening, killing five and injuring at least 40 more. Some of the victims were children.
He has a long rap sheet and a number of pending cases. Brooks’ most recent court appearance came on Nov. 5 for charges including reckless endangerment, battery, domestic abuse, resisting arrest and bail jumping. He was out on $1,000 bail for those charges at the time of the attack.
The Waukesha Christmas parade person of interest has been identified as Darrell E. Brooks Jr., a Milwaukee man with a criminal history dating back to 1999 – with numerous violent felonies, court records show. (Wisconsin DOJ)
WAUKESHA CHRISTMAS PARADE: 5 DEAD, 40 INJURED AFTER SUV PLOWS THROUGH WISCONSIN CROWD: LIVE UPDATES
In July 2020, police charged him with three other felonies – including reckless endangerment and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He’s also listed as a Tier 2 registered sex offender in Nevada.
A background check from Wisconsin's Department of Justice came back with over 50 pages of charges against Brooks stretching back decades. In 1999 he received his first felony conviction for taking part in an aggravated battery – for which he received three years of probation, records show.
He was convicted of obstructing an officer in 2005 and 2003. In 2002 he had another felony marijuana charge.
WAUKESHA CHRISTMAS PARADE WITNESSES DESCRIBE CHAOS, BLOOD
Good Samaritans attempt to help victims after an SUV plowed through the Waukesha Christmas parade Sunday evening in Waukesha, Wisconsin. (@J_Woynilko)
In 2010 he pleaded no contest to felony strangulation charges after allegedly attacking a woman during an argument about phone calls.
In 2012 he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor bail jumping and marijuana charges. A year earlier he pleaded guilty to felony marijuana charges and resisting arrest.
Brooks also appeared to used the pseudonym "Mathboi Fly" in music videos and is also associated with the aliases Darrell Eugene Brooks and Quinton Feilcein in court documents.
One of Brooks’ videos, which has been removed from YouTube, showed a red Ford SUV that resembles the one seen plowing into a crowd at the parade Sunday night on Main Street in Waukesha. Witnesses described the chaos of blood and bodies thrown into the air and strewn about the street before bystanders rushed to try and help victims as paramedics raced to the scene.
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An attorney for Brooks did not immediately return calls seeking comment.
Local authorities set up a temporary memorial for the victims at Veterans Park just west of the scene.
Fox News' David Spunt contributed to this report.
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