Wisconsin parade news – latest: Two Illinois cities boost security ahead of 134th Christmas procession
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At least two cities in Illinois have amended Christmas parades and enhanced security plans following the tragedy in Waukesha, Wisconsin, last weekend, with authorities informing the public to “expect to see more police barriers and city vehicles”.
The parades, which include the Santa Claus procession in Peoria on Friday, are popular events and allegedly the longest running Christmas parade in the US, having occurred 133 times before.
In Galesburg, Illinois, a second Christmas parade will similarly take place next weekend with enhanced security, and assurances from authorities of public safety.
It follows a fundraiser for 39-year-old Darrell Brooks being removed by GoFundMe after the page violated its terms by asking for donations totalling $5m (£3.7m) to free the accused from bail.
Mr Brooks, who police believe wanted to strike “as many people as possible” when he raced his car through a Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin, on Sunday, was described in the fundraiser as a “friend”.
A criminal complaint filed on Tuesday has meanwhile accused Mr Brooks of having “no emotion” when he drove down the parade route, killing six people and wounding at least 47 others.
He was said to have fled from police responding to a call about a domestic dispute between him and another person hours earlier, and prosecutors plan to charge him with six counts of first-degree intentional homicide.
He is being held on $5m bail.
Waukesha: What happened at the Wisconsin Christmas parade?
Wisconsin parade attack: Child becomes sixth person to die as Darrell Brooks faces fresh murder charge 
Darrell Brooks had a history of domestic violence we should have taken seriously
Wisconsin parade: Terrifying video shows SUV passing inches behind dancing little girl
More than $1.5m has been raised to support victims of the attack and their families. The six people killed are: Tamara Durand, Jane Kulich, Wilhelm Hospel, Leanna Owen, Virginia “Ginny” Sorenson, and Jackson Sparks.
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Police still asking for video footage of parade attack
The Waukesha Police Department are thought to still be seeking video evidence from members of the public after the attack last weekend, in which six people were killed and more than 40 people injured.
A Google document, as reported by the Washington Examiner, was still open for submissions on Thursday – two days after 39-year-old Darrell Brooks was charged with five counts of homicide.
He is expected to face a sixth charge, following the death of an eight-year-old on Tuesday afternoon.
The appeal from Waukesha’s police says “In light of the tragedy that occurred November 21, 2021 during the Christmas Parade, the Waukesha Police is seeking the assistance from the public in gathering pertinent video that may have been recorded during the incident.”
“To ensure quality of the videos, we are seeking only videos or photos that you recorded and which capture the vehicle traveling through the parade or fleeing the scene.”
Why were previous allegations against Brooks not taken seriously?
Darrell Brooks, the man charged with driving his SUV into a Christmas parade in Wisconsin and killing six people, had a criminal history that included cases of domestic violence.
As Kathleen N Walsh writes, if the allegations against Mr Brooks — that he had already used a vehicle to attempt to seriously injure a woman he’d been formerly in a relationship with — were considered more seriously, then perhaps five families wouldn’t be mourning the deaths of their loved ones today.
We should have taken Darrell Brooks’ history seriously | Kathleen N. Walsh
The man charged with driving his SUV into a Christmas parade in Wisconsin, killing six and injuring 62, had a specific criminal record
Darrell Brooks ‘wanted to hit as many people as possible’, prosecutors say
Darrell Brooks was trying to strike “as many people as possible” when he drove into marchers and spectators at a Christmas parade in Wisconsin on Sunday, authorities say.
A criminal complaint describes Mr Brooks as having “no emotion” when he allegedly smashed through a police barricadein his red Ford Escape SUV and deliberately targeted school children in marchings bands and grandparents in dance troupes, killing six people and wounding more than 60.
Moments earlier, he fled from police responding to a call about a domestic dispute between him and another person, according to a charging document filed Tuesday in the Waukesha County Circuit Court.
Read the full criminal complaint here.
Darrell Brooks ‘wanted to hit as many people as possible’ in Waukesha parade attack
Police officers tried in vain to stop Darrell Brooks prior to fatal rampage, according to court documents
Mother of Darrell Brooks regrets bailing him out
The mother of the man charged with mowing down and killing people at the Wisconsin Christmas parade regrets bailing him out earlier this month, his ex-girlfriend told The New York Post.
Dawn Woods wishes she had not posted the $1,000 bond after Darrell Brooks was accused of punching the mother of his child and striking her with his car on 2 November.
“She’s wrecked that people were killed as a result and she’s like, ‘I’m blaming myself, because had I not bailed him out, this wouldn’t have happened,’” the ex, who asked to remain anonymous out of fear for her safety, told the newspaper.
Six people died when Mr Brooks allegedly plowed into the parade on Sunday, and he faces life in prison if convicted.
Five members of the Xtreme Dance Team remain in ICU
Five members of the Xtreme Dance Team who were injured in the Waukesha Christmas parade tragedy remained in ICU on Wednesday.
TMJ4 News reported the five members were between the 3rd and 8th grades.
Members of the dance troupe were struck when Darrell Brooks allegedly drove his SUV through the parade route, killing six people and injuring more than 60.
Darrell Brooks ‘wanted to hit as many people as possible’, prosecutors say
Darrell Brooks was trying to strike “as many people as possible” when he drove into marchers and spectators at a Christmas parade in Wisconsin on Sunday, authorities say.
A criminal complaint describes Mr Brooks as having “no emotion” when he allegedly smashed through a police barricade in his red Ford Escape SUV and deliberately targeted school children in marchings bands and grandparents in dance troupes, killing six people and wounding more than 60.
Moments earlier, he fled from police responding to a call about a domestic dispute between him and another person, according to a charging document filed Tuesday in the Waukesha County Circuit Court, writes Bevan Hurley:
Darrell Brooks ‘wanted to hit as many people as possible’ in Waukesha parade attack
Police officers tried in vain to stop Darrell Brooks prior to fatal rampage, according to court documents
Over 15 still remain in hospital four days after attack
More than 15 persons, mostly children, are still in hospitals following the deadly incident on Sunday.
The Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin said five out of the 10 remaining children are in critical condition.
At the Aurora Medical Centre-Summit, one of the four patients is in a serious condition while three others are doing better, the hospital said. Two more persons are being treated at Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin Health Network.
Meanwhile, ProHealth Waukesha Memorial Hospital said in a statement that all patients from the parade attack admitted to the medical facility were treated and discharged on 24 November.
Country Christmas to raise funds for parade victims
Organisers of Country Christmas in Pewaukee city are helping to raise funds for their neighbours attacked during Sunday’s parade.
Over the weekend, $5 from every full-price admission ticket punched at Country Christmas will go to the Waukesha Community Foundation fund.
“We had a float in the parade, and some of us were there, and all the families and all the kids that were affected. We all should just do our part,” Jesse Wilder from Ingleside Hotel told Fox6.
The Country Christmas gates open on 28 November.
ICYMI: Ex-girlfriend of Waukesha parade attack suspect says she is ‘mortified’ that she fathered his child
The former girlfriend of the man accused of driving his car into a Christmas parade crowd near Waukesha, Wisconsin, said she was embarrassed to be the mother to his children. Graig Graziosi has more.
Ex-girlfriend of parade attack suspect says she is ‘mortified’
Darrell Brooks faces six homicide charges
Children’s treatment hampered by hospital’s staff shortages
Officials and nurses told Children’s Wisconsin Milwaukee Hospital that they struggled to care for 18 children in the aftermath of the Waukesha car attack due to a lack of staff, Summit News reported.
One nurse who spoke anonymously to the local media said, “It was a nightmare,” adding “We just don’t have enough people and [supervisors] were frantically calling in everyone they could, but it wasn’t enough.” “We are taking care of everyone the best we can, but it’s hard,” the nurse added.
Nurses and officials at the hospital said children’s treatment is being hampered due to staff shortage brought on by the coronavirus vaccine mandate.
The hospital thanked the Waukesha community for their donations and support. “Ten patients continue to be cared for at Children’s Wisconsin who were injured at the Waukesha parade,” the hospital said in a statement
On Wednesday, the hospital said five still remain in critical condition, two in fair condition and three would return home for Thanksgiving, where they will continue their recovery.