Waukesha holiday parade in chaos after ‘driver plows car through celebration’ as cops claim shots fired
MULTIPLE people have reportedly been injured after an SUV drove into busy crowds at a holiday parade in Wisconsin.
Shots were also reportedly heard after a red Ford Escape allegedly sped through a police barrier and plowed into families and performers at the Christmas parade in Waukesha on Sunday afternoon.
A tweet from the @WaukeshaAlerts account at 5:57pm ET reads: “Mass Casualty Incident @ W Main St & N Barstow St 12+ FD units responding. 12+ PD units responding. Reports of many people injured after a suspect drove through the parade. Possible shots fired.”
It is reported that 30 people were apparently injured – but police have yet to confirm.
Law enforcement sources told Dan O’Donnell, who runs a local radio show, that one person may be in custody.
Local reporter Courtney Sisk posted a video to Twitter after being briefed on the event by a witness.
“Witnesses on the phone just told me several members of the “Dancing Grannies” were hit and are not moving,” she says.
Another witness reportedly said it looked as though the driver of the vehicle was “trying to hit people.”
“He was swerving back and forth.”
More eyewitness accounts detail a dance team of young girls “between 9 and 15 years old” who may have been hit by the vehicle, according to local reporter Sam Kraemer.
One Twitter user posted a video in which a dancing child enjoying the parade was nearly hit by the speeding vehicle.
Follow our Waukesha holiday parade live blog for the very latest news and updates…
Kaylee Staral took to Twitter just moments after the alleged incident took place, tweeting that a “car just ran through the middle of a downtown Waukesha” Christmas parade.
Multiple accounts indicate that shots may also have been fired.
It is reported that “heavy police and ambulance presence” is on the scene.
The City of Waukesha Facebook account had been streaming the parade live.
At the 21:54 mark, adults can be seen ushering performers to the side of the road to allow emergency vehicles through.
Local residents have been advised to avoid the downtown area at this time.
The investigation is ongoing.
More to follow…
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