The Christmas parade was supposed to be a party in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Hundreds of families had gathered, warmly dressed because of the cold, to attend the parade of school orchestras and many dance schools. At around 4:40 p.m. (local time), Sunday, November 21, a red SUV rushed into the procession, killing dozens of people, including children. At least five people have died and more than 40 are injured, city officials say in a press release published Sunday evening. The municipality said, however, that these figures were provisional and that the toll could worsen.
An unidentified person was arrested and taken into custody. The immobilized and dented vehicle is in the hands of the investigators. A police officer would have fired several times in the direction of the SUV, to stop its murderous course, as it was about to hit a roadblock. Amateur videos seized the car going up the procession very quickly, without zigzagging, before rushing into an orchestra, then moving away. The screams of the crowd followed the musical instruments that punctuated this 58e parade of history. Very quickly, in the general panic, the help was put in place to rescue the victims, on the asphalt of Main Street, the main artery of the city.
Shots to stop the SUV’s murderous course
The Archdiocese of Milwaukee, which is about thirty kilometers away, said a priest and children at Waukesha Catholic school were affected. The Milwaukee Dancing Grannies, a friendly of older women, all grandmothers, who are used to parades, also said on Facebook that ” members [de leur] group and volunteers ” were among the victims. In 2020, the Christmas parade was canceled due to the Covid-19 epidemic.
The police refused to give the slightest indication of the first elements collected or to favor one of the three hypotheses: an attack, loss of control of the vehicle or a fleeing driver. A press conference is scheduled for midday on Monday. In the meantime, an emergency center has been set up for families looking for a loved one. Schools in the district will be closed on Monday. The drama area is closed to the public for further investigation. Photos and television footage showed blankets, chairs and strollers scattered across the sidewalks. Town Mayor Shawn Reilly called the drama“Horrible and meaningless act”. Waukesha celebrates its 125 this yeare birthday. The White House has said it is closely monitoring the situation and awaiting the first results of the investigation.
