Wisconsin's senators - a Democrat and a Republican - issue joint statement warning against politicizing the Waukesha tragedy
Cheney Orr/Reuters
- A man drove his SUV through a Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin, last Sunday.
- Wisconsin's senators – a Democrat and a Republican – asked people not to politicize the tragedy.
- The crash left six people dead.
Wisconsin's two senators, Democrat Tammy Baldwin and Republican Ron Johnson, issued a joint statement asking people outside the state not to politicize last weekend's Waukesha tragedy.
"It has come to our attention that outside individuals or groups may attempt to exploit the tragedy that occurred last Sunday in Waukesha for their own political purposes. As the US Senators representing Wisconsin, one from each political party, we are asking anyone considering such action to cease and desist," Baldwin and Johnson wrote.
On Sunday, a red SUV drove through barricades and smashed into crowds of people at a Christmas parade in Waukesha, which is part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area.
Waukesha Police Chief Daniel Thompson said suspect Darrell E. Brooks, 39, was involved in a domestic dispute just minutes before he "intentionally" drove his car into the crowd.
The crash resulted in six deaths: five adults and one child.
It's not immediately clear who the senators' letter is directed towards. They said local officials should be given
"respect and support" with interference as they investigate and sort out the aftermath of the crash and added the investigation should not be made more difficult by a "politically charged atmosphere."
"Their top priority is to begin the healing process within Waukesha by providing comfort and support to surviving family members of the deceased, and those injured both in body and spirit," the senators wrote.