A vehicle breached a police perimeter and careened through a Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin on Sunday evening in what police are describing as a “mass casualty incident" according to local law enforcement and news reports.
I just watched video sent in by a viewer. Shows a red SUV plowing through a marching band during the holiday parade. The SUV does not slow & appears to try to hit as many as possible. #Waukesha #waukeshaparade
— Kristen Barbaresi (@KristenBarbar) November 21, 2021
One man told me he saw about 30 people laying in the intersection of Main & Barstow.
— Sam Kraemer (@SamKraemerTV) November 21, 2021
Law enforcement are about to close down Main Street. @fox6now
Waukesha police are calling this a “Mass Casualty Incident” 12+ police units and 12+ fire trucks responding.
— Tiffany Alaniz (@TiffanyAlaniz) November 21, 2021
People there say police are also transporting victims in police cars. @kaaaaayleen shared this pic of the scene from above and one just before car drove into parade. pic.twitter.com/2e6jS8Bqjp
The Waukesha County Sheriff’s Office incident command post is on site. There are bag chairs and handfuls of candy stranded all along Main Street.
— Sam Kraemer (@SamKraemerTV) November 21, 2021
Another man told us he heard a handful of shots and ran for cover. He was almost hit by the SUV as it pulled through. @fox6now pic.twitter.com/xxSgfdTmpM
A woman who lives on Main Street says she saw the SUV barrel through a dance team of girls between 9 and 15 years old.
— Sam Kraemer (@SamKraemerTV) November 22, 2021
She says the immediate reaction was silence, followed by screaming, running, checking on those injured. @fox6now
Reporting from The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel stated that “Multiple people were on the ground injured after the crash, which occurred shortly before 5 p.m.,” according to witnesses. Multiple victims have been transported to area hospitals while some have reportedly been transported to hospitals outside of Waukesha to avoid filling emergency rooms beyond capacity.
One eyewitness who finished marching in the parade just before the incident stated that the driver of the SUV “just put the pedal to the metal… zooming full speed along the parade route. And then we heard a loud bang, and just deafening cries and screams from people who are who are struck by the vehicle.”
Video clips posted to Twitter from a Facebook live stream of the parade show a red SUV flying down the street before it struck several bystanders and parade participants.
UPDATE - This was recorded from the City of Waukesha’s Facebook account, which was streaming the parade when a car broke through the police line and plowed through the Christmas parade. pic.twitter.com/uURP99z0fO
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) November 21, 2021
According to the Milwaukee CBS affiliate, police may have located the red SUV, but authorities have yet to brief the media or provide additional details about suspects or potential motive.
It appears police located the red SUV that plowed through the Waukesha Holiday Parade #waukesha https://t.co/S5QoZ0JMmj
— Kristen Barbaresi (@KristenBarbar) November 22, 2021
In addition to local law enforcement, personnel from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were also arriving to the scene in Waukesha as the investigation continues.
This is a developing story and may be updated.