Washington: A vehicle plowed into a Christmas parade in Wisconsin on Sunday evening causing “some fatalities” and injuring more than 20 people, police said.
The incident took place as spectators in the town of Waukesha, a Milwaukee suburb, watched the annual tradition.
“The Waukesha Christmas parade was taking place when a red SUV broke through the barricades, westbound, headed down Main Street,” Police Chief Dan Thompson told reporters.
“The vehicle struck more than 20 individuals, some of the individuals were children and there were some fatalities as a result of this incident,” he said.
A total of 11 adults and 12 children were taken to six area hospitals, Fire Chief Steven Howard told reporters.
A “person of interest” was in custody, Thompson said, adding that officers had recovered the involved vehicle.
During the incident an officer did fire at the SUV in an attempt to stop it, the authorities added.
The event was live-streamed on Facebook, and a portion of the video showed a red SUV driving through the parade at what appeared to be a high rate of speed followed by gasps and sirens.
Angelito Tenorio, a West Allis alderman who is running for Wisconsin state treasurer, told The Associated Press that he was watching the parade with his family when they saw the SUV come speeding into the area.
“Then we heard a loud bang,” Tenorio said. “And after that, we just heard deafening cries and screams from the crowd, from the people at the parade. And people started rushing, running away with tears in their eyes crying.”
Tenorio said he saw about 10 people, children and adults, on the ground who appeared to have been hit by the vehicle.
“It just happened so fast,” he said. “It was pretty horrifying.”
