Updated November 22nd, 2021 at 12:33 IST

US: Five dead, more than 40 injured after SUV plows into Christmas parade in Wisconsin

At least 20 were injured when an SUV drove through a Christmas parade in Waukesha, Milwaukee suburbs in Wisconsin on Sunday. Read further

Reported by: Dipaneeta Das
IMAGE: AP | Image:self
Advertisement

As many as 5 dead and 40 injured after an SUV drove through a Christmas parade in the Milwaukee suburbs in Wisconsin on Sunday. Earlier, Waukesha Police Department chief Dan Thompson informed that "some" people have also been killed in the horrifying incident but did not reveal the exact number. Later, the police department updated the number adding that the number of casualties could rise, Washinton Post reported. The city police have launched an investigation into the matter and recovered the "suspect vehicle," and detained one person.

The SUV broke through the barricades and sped through the roadway where the parade was taking place. An on-duty Waukesha Police officer also fired his gun in an attempt to stop the speeding car that struck performers at the Christmas parade. No bystanders were injured by the car, Inspector Thompson informed adding that he was not aware if the driver was hit by the officer's bullet, Associated Press reported.

SUV struck young girls and children

Live footage captured by the city's live-stream and the cellphones of onlookers surfaced on the internet showing the high-utility sports vehicle ploughing through members of the marching band and another group of girls wearing Santa hats and dancing with white pompoms. Among the hit were 11 adults and 12 children who were later transported to the hospital by the kins of the injured or police officers, Fire Chief Steven Howard told the media, as per Associated Press.

A Waukesha school district board member, Corey Montiho, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that his daughter’s dance team was hit by the SUV. “They were pompoms and shoes and spilt hot chocolate everywhere. I had to go from one crumpled body to the other to find my daughter,” he said as per AP. Co-owner of the Aspire Dance Center Studio, Chris Germain had about 70 girls in the parade ranging from 2 to18-year-old being pulled in wagons. His own daughter was in the parade when he saw the SUV "blaze past" and a police officer came on foot chasing after. "There were small children laying all over the road, there were police officers and EMTs doing CPR on multiple members of the parade,” he said, as per AP.

The 59th edition of the Waukesha City Parade in Milwaukee suburbs, Wisconsin, is an annual event sponsored by the City's Chamber of Commerce. It is held on a Sunday before Thanksgiving. The Waukesha town is also in the news after Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted of charges of shooting three men in 2020, on Friday.

With inputs from AP

Image: AP

Advertisement

Published November 22nd, 2021 at 09:57 IST