US: SEVERAL KILLED AFTER CAR SPEEDS THROUGH CROWD IN WAUKESHA CHRISTMAS PARADE

Mon 22 November 2021:

A vehicle plowed into the Waukesha Holiday Parade in Wisconsin, killing many people and injuring over 20 others, including a dozen children, according to local police and fire officials.

“The vehicle struck more than 20 individuals, some of the individuals were children and there are some fatalities as a result of this incident,” Waukesha Police Chief Daniel Thompson told reporters on Sunday evening without providing any additional information on fatalities.

BREAKING: Wisconsin officials say more than 20 individuals, including children, were struck by a red SUV when it drove through the barricades at the Waukesha Christmas parade. pic.twitter.com/1bCJIt6z1m

— CBS News (@CBSNews) November 22, 2021

The incident occurred at around 4:39pm (22:39 GMT) on Sunday in the city of Waukesha, about 32 kilometres (20 miles) west of Milwaukee.

“A red SUV drove into our Christmas parade that we were holding downtown. More than 20 individuals were injured as a result of this incident,” Thompson told reporters.

“Some of the individuals were children and there are some fatalities as a result of this incident.”

Asked about the deaths, Thompson said: “I don’t have an exact number at this time.”

It was not known whether the incident was related to terrorism, but an earlier shelter-in-place order in the town of around 72,000 had been lifted, he added.

⚠️Warning Graphic Images ⚠️
A vehicle plowed into the #Waukesha Holiday Parade in Wisconsin, killing many people and injuring over 20 others, including a dozen children.#waukeshaChristmasParade #USA pic.twitter.com/q4FrQz8tMf

— INDEPENDENT PRESS (@IpIndependent) November 22, 2021

On Sunday, the Waukesha Holiday Parade was streamed live on the city’s Facebook page. A red SUV was seen driving through the throng and hitting individuals in a video from the event. More than one person was killed, according to local media, while many more were injured.

Shots were also reported to have been fired from the vehicle’s window.

⚠️Warning Graphic Images ⚠️
A vehicle plowed into the #Waukesha Holiday Parade in Wisconsin, killing many people and injuring over 20 others, including a dozen children.#waukeshaChristmasParade #USA pic.twitter.com/G99Bpqi9QR

— INDEPENDENT PRESS (@IpIndependent) November 22, 2021

“An officer did discharge his weapon at the suspect’s vehicle to try to stop the vehicle. No bystanders were injured as a result of the weapon discharge,” Thompson specified at the Sunday press conference adding that “we do not believe that there were any shots that were fired from the vehicle.”

Corey Montiho, a Waukesha school district board member, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that his daughter’s dance team was hit by the SUV.

⚠️ Warning Graphic Images⚠️
This video was taken minutes after a vehicle plowed into the Waukesha Holiday Parade in Wisconsin, killing many people and injuring over 20 others, including a dozen children.#wisconsinparade #waukeshaChristmasParade pic.twitter.com/InK3LPkZPK

— INDEPENDENT PRESS (@IpIndependent) November 22, 2021

One witness said the driver also hit the “Dancing Grannies”, and at least one person flipped over the hood of the SUV, according to Milwaukee’s WISN-TV, an ABC affiliate.

Photos and videos of Waukesha circulating on Twitter showed police cars and ambulances crowding a street decked out with Christmas lights in the aftermath of the incident. Bundled up people huddled on sidewalks as dusk fell.

The police chief said that the search for the suspect’s vehicle was over and the scene was safe and secure.

“We do have a person of interest in custody at the moment,” Thompson said.

Speaking at the same press conference, Fire Chief Steve Howard said that 11 adults and 12 children were taken to the hospital with injuries after the car incident and there were some fatalities.

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