US

Child becomes sixth victim of parade crash – as charged suspect rocks back and forth in court

A man has appeared in court charged with multiple homicides after a car plowed into a Christmas parade in the US – as a child became the sixth person to die after the incident.

Darrell Brooks, 39, cried and rocked back and forth with his face in his hands as charges were laid against him.

He also appeared to be wearing an anti-stab vest.

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Darrell Brooks poses for a booking photograph provided by the Waukesha County Sheriff's Office in Waukesha, Wisconsin, U.S. and taken November 22, 2021. Picture taken November 22, 2021. Waukesha County Sheriff's Office/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. THIS IMAGE WAS PROCESSED BY REUTERS TO ENHANCE QUALITY, AN UNPROCESSED VERSION HAS BEEN PROVIDED SEPARATELY
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Darrell Brooks had been released on bail at the start of November

Four women and one man also died when the SUV sped down the parade route in Waukesha, Wisconsin on Sunday.

More than 60 people were also injured, including many children, and some are still in a critical condition.

Witnesses said Brooks appeared to be intentionally moving side to side to hit people with no attempt to slow down, according to the criminal complaint.

More on Waukesha Parade Crash

A police officer shot at the car and hit it three times, the complaint added, while a detective also stepped in front and pounded on the bonnet – but Brooks drove past him.

The adults who died were Virginia Sorenson, 79, LeAnna Owen, 71, Tamara Durand, 52, Jane Kulich, 52, and Wilhelm Hospel, 81.

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Waukesha parade crash suspect appears in court

Brooks was charged with five counts of first-degree intentional homicide at the court in Waukesha.

Prosecutors said more charges were pending after revealing that a child had become the sixth fatality.

Police Chief Dan Thompson said on Monday that Brooks had left the scene of a domestic dispute minutes before he drove into the parade.

Darrell Brooks in court partially obscured from the camera by his lawyer
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Darrell Brooks in court, partially obscured from the camera by his lawyer
Darrell Brooks in court
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Darrell Brooks in court

He said the incident was not being treated as terrorism.

Brooks, from Milwaukee, has been freed on a $1,000 bail earlier in November in a case in which he’s accused of deliberately hitting a woman with a car.

Prosecutors are looking into the circumstances after calling the bail amount “inappropriately low”.