The Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee has issued a statement on the “Waukesha Parade Tragedy,” calling the incident “horrible” and requesting prayers for victims.
“Our prayers are with the people who have been injured and killed during the tragic incident in Waukesha,” reads a statement from the archdiocesan communications director Sandra Peterson, in reference to Sunday’s SUV lethal rampage through a Christmas parade.
“Among the injured are one of our Catholic priests, as well as multiple parishioners and Waukesha Catholic school children,” the statement notes.
“Please join us in prayer for all those involved, their families, and those who are traumatized from witnessing the horrible scene,” it concludes.
The incident led to the deaths of at least five people and more than 40 more were injured, the city of Waukesha reported.
Local officials said that “the person of interest” as well as the vehicle in question have been taken into custody, but declined to provide the identity of the alleged driver.
Police and emergency personnel work on a crime scene on November 21, 2021 in Waukesha, Wisconsin. According to reports, an SUV drove through pedestrians at a holiday parade, killing at least five people and injuring 20 more. (Jim Vondruska/Getty Images)
Waukesha Police Chief Dan Thompson said that as the SUV broke through barricades, a police officer fired his gun in an effort to stop the vehicle. Thompson said no bystanders were injured and he did not know whether the driver was hit by the officer’s bullets.
“What took place in Waukesha today is sickening, and I have every confidence that those responsible will be brought to justice,” tweeted the Wisconsin’s top law enforcement officer, Attorney General Josh Kaul.
A western suburb of Milwaukee, Waukesha is about 55 miles north of Kenosha, where Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted Friday of charges stemming from the shooting of three men during protests and rioting in that city in August 2020.
On Sunday, a group of some 50 protesters gathered outside the Kenosha County Courthouse on Sunday to march against what they called the injustice of the jury’s decision finding Kyle Rittenhouse not guilty on all charges.
The group gathered around the banner of the Party for Socialism and Liberation and was joined by people armed with pistols and semi-automatic rifles.
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