THE suspect in the Waukesha Christmas parade rampage could be charged with a sixth murder after an eight-year-old died from his injuries on Tuesday.
Jackson Sparks had been hospitalized after Darrell Edward Brooks, 39, drove his SUV through the crowd at a Wisconsin holiday event.
His death was revealed by an attorney in Brooks's first court appearance on Tuesday, where the suspect rocked back and forth and slumped in his chair as he was charged.
His bail was set for $5million after the prosecution listed his lengthy criminal record and said that the sixth murder charge could be on its way
Brooks was detained Monday after being detained by Waukesha cops close to the scene.
The other five victims were named on Monday as Virginia Sorenson, 79; LeAnna Owen, 71; Tamara Durand, 52; Jane Kulich, 52, and Wilhelm Hospel, 81.
Read our live blog below for the latest news and updates…
- Jocelyn Cook
VICTIM WAS PART OF ‘DANCING GRANNIES’ GROUP
Victoria Sorenson, a registered nurse, has been part of the Milwaukee Dancing Grannies for 19-years, her Facebook page says.
“At 79, she had a bad back and a bad hip but loved to dance and was an instructor and choreographer who helped newcomers and veterans with the group’s routines,” according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
“What did she like about it? Everything,” said her husband of 56 years, David Sorenson.
“She liked the instructing. She liked the dancing and the camaraderie of the women. She liked to perform.”
The couple had three children and six grandchildren.
- Jocelyn Cook
VICTIM’S GRANDDAUGHTER SPEAKS OUT: 'HER MEMORY WILL ALWAYS LIVE WITH ME'
“Her memory will always live with me. As I continue through nursing school, I will live that legacy for her. My grandmother was an incredible nurse,” the tribute continued.
“I’m so proud to be following in her footsteps. I would not be where I am today without the guidance and love and support that my grandmother has given me."
“I know she’ll be watching me graduate from nursing school, smiling that I was able to take her place and follow her legacy. Whenever the wind blows, I know it means that she’s with me. "
“I have a lot of emotions right now. Sadness and anger take over most of them, as I was not able to even say goodbye to her. She was a wonderful mother and grandmother and friend to all. My heart just hurts,” she concluded.
- Jocelyn Cook
VICTIM’S GRANDDAUGHTER SPEAKS OUT
Gabrielle Kamentz posted the news to her Facebook account on Sunday night claiming her grandmother, Virginia Sorenson was “killed at Waukesha parade by evil Darrell Brooks.”
She wrote: “I’m sure most of you have seen the news. What happened tonight in Waukesha is horrific… and unfortunately, my grandmother was one of the victims of this horrible tragedy tonight.
“I’m so angry and sad and hurt that someone that evil took my grandmother away from me,” she added.
“She had such a good heart. Such a good soul. She was the glue that held my family together. I’m still in shock and trying to process this as I write."
- Jocelyn Cook
PRIOR CRIMINAL HISTORY, CONTINUED
In another case, filed in July 2020, Brooks is charged with reckless endangering and illegal possession of a firearm.
That came after a fight with his nephew in which his relative said Brooks “walked into the front yard with a gun and fired one shot at them,” The Daily Beast reports.
In the more recent one, a woman -believed to be the mother of one of his children – told police that Brooks deliberately ran her over with his vehicle in a gas station parking lot after a fight. She was hospitalized for her injuries.
An arrest warrant for the November 2 incident obtained by The Sun says he punched the mother of one of his children “with a closed fist”.
The woman was left bloodied with tire marks on her clothing and a swollen lip, according to reports.
- Jocelyn Cook
BROOKS HAD PRIOR VIOLENT CRIME ARRESTS
Darrell Brooks is said to have a long criminal history, with 15 arrests since 1999 in Wisconsin alone.
Charges include possession of drugs, strangulation and suffocation, and battery.
Court documents obtained by The Sun revealed Darrell Brooks was accused of running over the mother of his child in early November before making bail.
Additional court records show Brooks was facing a number of criminal charges in the run up the rampage.
In one case, filed November 5, he was charged with resisting or obstructing an officer, reckless homicide, disorderly conduct, bail jumping and battery.
He was ordered to not have any contact with a female victim and records show $1,000 bond was posted on Friday.
- Jocelyn Cook
WAUKESHA DETECTIVES TRIED TO STOP BROOKS
The criminal complaint regarding the parade attack details the ways that Waukesha police tried to stop Brooks from driving into the crowd.
A member of the Waukesha City Police Department, Detective Casey, reportedly saw Brooks's vehicle approaching the parade route.
"He began to see people spreading apart and observed a red Ford Escape driving southbound on White Rock Avenue. He observed people jumping out of the way of the red Ford Escape," the complaint reads.
"As the Ford Escape was at White Rock Avenue and East Main Street, Detective Casey stepped in front of the Ford Escape and pounded on the hood of the vehicle and yelled multiple times, 'Stop.'"
However, Brooks continued driving.
"Detective Casey went to the driver’s side window and pounded on the driver’s side door yelling, 'Stop.'
Brooks "drove past Detective Casey and into the parade procession."
- Jocelyn Cook
HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE INJURED?
At least 62 people were injured – including 12 kids – in the tragedy as families and performers were celebrating an annual holiday event.
Officials said Monday 18 children were treated at the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin following the rampage.
- Jocelyn Cook
'I HELD ONE LITTLE GIRL'S HEAD IN MY HAND'
"My family is safe but many are not," Montiho continued.
"I held one little girl's head in my hand, she was seizing and she was bleeding out of her ears. I held her mother as she collapsed."
"Please pray.”
- Jocelyn Cook
'ONE CRUMPLED BODY TO THE OTHER'
“There were pompoms and shoes and spilled hot chocolate everywhere. I had to go from one crumpled body to the other to find my daughter,” Corey Montiho, a Waukesha school district board member, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel of the Christmas parade killing.
“My wife and two daughters were almost hit. Please pray for everybody. Please pray.”
- H. J. Hayes
JUDGE SETS BAIL AT $5MILLION, ANNOUNCES NEXT HEARING DATE
Darrell Brooks rocked back and forth, and sobbing was audible in the courtroom, as the judge set his bail at $5million and set the next hearing date for after the new year.
“I have no problem with the bail recommended by the state,” the judge said.
“The nature of this offense is shocking. The detail I was not expecting here today, that two detectives not only tried to stop this, but rendered an opinion that this was an intentional act,” he continued.
Addressing Brooks directly, the judge said, “You’re presumed innocent, sir, but that’s what the allegations are, and I’ve not seen anything like this in a very long career.”
The next hearing has a tentative date of January 14th, which may be livestreamed for victims who are unable to be present on the day of the hearing.
- H. J. Hayes
‘YOU DON’T DO WELL UNDER PRESSURE,’ SAID JUDGE
Addressing a sobbing Brooks, the judge at Tuesday’s hearing criticized the “smallish bails” that have been set for previous crimes.
“You don’t do well under pressure,” the judge said.
“You don’t respond well to what is common sense within our community.”
Brooks was out on bail for a different crime when he drove into the Christmas parade.
“Those smallish bails you were out on didn’t do very well,” the judge said.
- H. J. Hayes
SEVERAL VICTIMS UNDERGOING SURGERY ARE UNDER EIGHTEEN
Children's Wisconsin, a pediatric hospital in Milwaukee, said 18 children, from ages 3-16 years old, were admitted into the facility.
According to the hospital, the injuries to the children include facial abrasions, broken bones and severe head injuries.
Six minors were sent to the operating room, while two others were scheduled to undergo surgeries today.
In a virtual press conference on Monday, November 22, 2021, doctors said some patients are conscious while others are unconscious.
- H. J. Hayes
AREA HOSPITALS ARE TREATING DOZENS OF VICTIMS
Aurora Medical Center-Summit, a hospital in Waukesha County, told CNN on Sunday, November 21, 2021, it was treating 13 patients.
Three were listed in critical condition, four in serious condition, and six in fair condition.
Jessalyn Torres, 11, is fighting for her life with a broken pelvis and lost kidney, lacerations on her lungs and remaining kidney and internal bleeding
Also injured are Romelia Perez and her 11-year-old daughter Camila, her husband told the New York Post.
A statement from the hospital said: "We are deeply saddened by today's senseless tragedy and our hearts are with the Waukesha community."
- H. J. Hayes
WILHELM HOSPEL, 81, WAS HUSBAND OF A DANCING GRANNY
Wilhelm Hospel, 81, was the husband of one of the members of the Milwaukee Dancing Grannies named Lola.
He helped the group prep for their performances and made sure each of the dancers had what they needed.
According to his devastated brother Theodore, Wilhelm passed away after suffering from internal bleeding and injuries to his pelvis.
- H. J. Hayes
JANE KUILCH, 52, WAS DESCRIBED AS 'FRIEND TO SO MANY'
Jane Kuilch, 52, was an employee at Citizen Bank and a volunteer for the M.D.G.
In a statement, the company said: "One of our team members who was walking with the parade float was struck and passed away as a result of her injuries."
"Our condolences go out to her family and friends for this inconceivable loss."
Jane was reportedly previously a caregiver, server and production assistant after studying medical billing and coding at Sanford Brown College.
She was described as a "loving, beautiful and charismatic mother, grandmother and friend to so many," by loved ones.
- H. J. Hayes
FATAL DAY WAS TAMARA DURAND'S FIRST DANCING GRANNIES PARADE
Tamara Durand, 52, was a former Beaver Dam resident and also a member of the Milwaukee Dancing Grannies.
It was the first time the hospice and critical care chaplain had performed with the dance group.
Her last Facebook post just hours before her death was a picture of her beaming while holding white pompoms and wrapped up in a winter coat and hat ready for the parade.
She wrote: "HERE WE GO!' First Milwaukee Dancing Grannies parade! So excited!"
Tamara is said to have saved a homeless man from drowning in the Wisconsin River in 2009.
- H. J. Hayes
LEANNA OWEN, 71, 'DIDN'T HAVE A MEAN BONE IN HER BODY'
LeAnna Owen was manager of an apartment complex and a member of the Milwaukee Dancing Grannies.
The 71-year-old, lovingly referred to as the smallest member of the crew, ran two 32 unit buildings.
The building's owner Dave Schmidt said: "She didn’t have a mean bone in her body. She was the nicest lady.
"She was the glue that kept that apartment complex running for us. She will be sorely missed."
The grandmother is survived by two sons.
- H. J. Hayes
VIRGINIA SORENSON, 79, REMEMBERED BY HUSBAND OF 56 YEARS
Virginia "Ginny" Sorenson, 79, was a registered nurse and a 19-year veteran of the Milwaukee Dancing Grannies, a group for grandmothers in their 50s to 70s.
She was an instructor and choreographer for the group, and often helped newcomers and veterans with their routines.
Virginia, who had been a member of the dance group for 19 years, was holding a banner near the rear of the group when she was fatally struck.
In a statement, her husband of 56 years, David Sorenson discussed the mother-of-three's love for the group.
"What did she like about it? Everything. She liked the instructing. She liked the dancing and the camaraderie of the women. She liked to perform."
- H. J. Hayes
TENSION AT COURTHOUSE PRIOR TO ARRAIGNMENT
Before the court appearance, Christine B., who wished not to give her last name, stood outside the courthouse with a sign saying “Stop letting violent criminals go free.”
Through tears, the 36-year Waukesha County resident told The Sun, “People are suffering. Kids are dying. One life is too many to lose. It has to stop.”
A family of one of the victims walked through the cameras holding a large picture of the victim in a hospital bed and hooked up to machines in the hospital.
Inside the courthouse, security was tight. Two heavily armed officers from Waukesha county sheriff's office were dressed in tactical gear and holding long guns.
The staircase and second floor were filled with police and reporters from around the country.
- H. J. Hayes
HOW MANY VICTIMS HAVE DIED FROM THE PARADE ATTACK?
Brooks, 39, is accused of speeding through a crowded Christmas parade on Sunday and killing six people and injuring about 60 more.
The sixth victim's death was made public during Tuesday's court appearance.
Jackson Sparks, eight, succumbed to his injuries Monday.
The other five victims have been named as Virginia Sorensen, 79, LeAnna Owen, 71, Tamara Durand, 52, Jane Kuilch, 52, and Wilhelm Hospel, 81.
According to the Waukesha medical examiner, all the victims died from blunt force trauma.
- H. J. Hayes
WHAT SENTENCE IS DARRELL BROOKS FACING?
Prosecutors said a sixth count of homicide will be added Friday or early next week, following the death of eight-year-old Jackson Sparks, and other charges could be added.
Each count carries a maximum of life in prison, so if he's convicted, Brooks could serve five or six consecutive life sentences.
Bail was set at $5million.
- H. J. Hayes
SUSPECT'S MOM IS 'TRAUMATIZED AND HURT'
The "traumatized" mom of the Waukesha parade suspect called 911 when she saw her red Ford truck on TV news reports as it plowing through crowds, The Sun can reveal.
Darrell Brooks' mom broke her silence and made her first statement through a family spokesperson in an exclusive interview with The Sun Tuesday evening, just hours after her son was officially charged with five counts of intentional homicide.
"She talked to him before he went to Waukesha and doesn't know why he did this and doesn't condone his actions," family spokesperson Frank Nitty told The Sun.
"I spoke to her for hours. She's traumatized and hurt and wants each victim of her son's actions to know that her thoughts and prayers are with them."
- H. J. Hayes
THOSE KILLED INCLUDE MEMBERS OF DANCING GRANNIES GROUP
A beloved group of performers known as the Milwaukee Dancing Grannies has confirmed that some of its members were killed in the chaos at the Christmas parade.
In a statement posted on Facebook, the group wrote that it was "devastated" to confirm that some of its members were among the six killed by a speeding SUV that carved through the parade on Main Street at 4.30pm.
A number of the group's members were also injured. It's currently unclear how many died and how many were hurt.
In its post, the troupe wrote: "The Milwaukee Dancing Grannies are devasted by this terrible tragedy with of loss of life and injuries in the Waukesha Christmas parade.
"Our group was doing what they loved, performing in front of crowds in a parade putting smiles on faces of all ages, filling them with joy and happiness.
"While performing the grannies enjoyed hearing the crowd's cheers and applause which certainly brought smiles to their faces and warmed their hearts."
- H. J. Hayes
OFFICERS RECOVERED SUV BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN USED IN ATTACK
Officers later appeared at an address in Milwaukee, where the SUV was parked in the driveway.
The front of the vehicle was crumpled right up to the windscreen with its bumper and license plate hanging off.
Brooks was detained there and he reportedly complained of a sore shoulder as he was taken into custody.
Videos posted on YouTube by Brooks appear to show the same car that plowed into the parade.
The first three letters on the license plate ADP and the vehicle's description are the same as reportedly heard on the police scanner.
- H. J. Hayes
MOM RECALLS ATTACK, PART TWO: 'EVERYONE IS JUST RUNNING'
She added: “Everyone is just running for their lives. We think that the guy who just drove through the parade has a gun and now he's on the loose, shooting around and it's an active shooter situation now.”
The mother recalls quickly grabbing her daughter so she wouldn’t get hurt and how everyone was running into her sister’s apartment complex for cover.
“Everyone's clutching their children and family members were running into the building trying to squeeze in and someone's yelling ‘he got a gun, he got a gun’,” she said.
“We see this red SUV zooming right past all of us, barely missing a photographer, barely missing children, barely missing my sister who is sitting on the edge of the curb,” the mom recalled.
“He just continues on, doesn't stop and everyone is confused.”
Source: Read Full Article
