A vehicle drove through a holiday parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin, on Sunday, injuring multiple people, according to local media reports.
Reuters could not immediately confirm reports of the incident in Waukesha, which is about 20 miles (32km) west of Milwaukee. The Waukesha Police Department confirmed there was an active scene and the police chief said “we have a person of interest in the incident”.
In one video posted on social media, a red sport utility vehicle appeared to speed toward marchers from behind. In a second video, police appeared to open fire on the same vehicle as it crashed through street barriers.
Photographs and videos of Waukesha circulating on Twitter showed police cars and ambulances crowding a street decked out with Christmas lights in the aftermath of the incident. Bundled up people huddled on sidewalks as dusk fell.
The incident occurred at 5pm – shortly before 11pm Irish time – the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
“As we were walking back in between the buildings . . . we saw an SUV cross over, just put the pedal to the metal and just zooming full speed along the parade route. And then we heard a loud bang, and just deafening cries and screams from people who are struck by the vehicle,” Angelito Tenorio, an alderman in nearby West Allis, told the newspaper.
Witness reports
Police officers ran down the street, telling parade watchers to take shelter in stores, the newspaper said.
One witness said the driver hit multiple people and at least one person flipped over the hood of the SUV, according to WISN-TV, an ABC affiliate.
Another witness estimated the SUV was going about 40mph (64km/h) when it hit the crowd of people, the TV station said.
A woman told the Fox6 TV station the SUV hit a dance team of girls between nine and 15 years old. She said the immediate reaction was silence, followed by screaming, running and checking on those injured, Fox6 reported. – Reuters