Witness: ‘There were multiple people on the ground’
Multiple victims have been transported from the scene to area hospitals via ambulance and others were taken by officers, after a red SUV drove through the Waukesha Christmas Parade, Waukesha Police Chief Daniel P. Thompson said in a press conference.
People were seen on the ground injured after the incident, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel intern Kaylee Staral, who was at the parade, told CNN’s Pamela Brown Sunday night.
About “20 to 30 minutes into the parade a red SUV came running down the middle of the street — there were a lot of screams — and we almost thought maybe it was Santa but it was a red SUV and it hit a lot of people,” Staral said.
The White House is monitoring the situation in Waukesha, Wisconsin, according to an administration official.
A suspect’s vehicle has been recovered, and the investigation is ongoing, Thompson said. There is no active threat in the area and “the scene is now safe,” the chief added.
“The horrific violence at the Waukesha Christmas Parade is just heartbreaking,” Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin wrote on Twitter. “Please keep the victims in your prayers tonight.”
In her description of those injured, Staral said “Right in front of me in the little spot where I was sitting, probably four people were down — so there were a lot of people that ran to go check on them.”
“I believe that the four people in front of me were still breathing but they were down, they were not moving,” she added.
“This is an unspeakable tragedy, affecting us all as we work to overcome an extremely challenging two years and resume our cherished holiday traditions,” Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow said in a statement.
“I had just finished participating in the parade with my wife when I noticed police sirens. Shortly afterward, I learned that a vehicle drove through the parade route injuring many people. Please pray for our community tonight after the horrific events at the Waukesha Christmas Parade.”
Farrow added officials are still investigating the incident to understand what happened and asked for prayers for the community.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
