More Than 20 Injured After SUV Plows Into Crowd at Wisconsin Christmas Parade

More than 20 people were injured when an SUV drove through a crowd at a Christmas parade Sunday afternoon in the Milwaukee suburb of Waukesha, according to police.

At approximately 4:41 p.m., a reporter with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel newspaper tweeted “a car just ran through the middle of a downtown Waukesha parade,” adding that multiple people were on the ground.

At least 20 people were injured, but the extent of injuries wasn’t immediately known, according to the Waukesha Police Department.

The event was livestreamed on Facebook, and a portion of the video showed a red SUV driving through the parade at what appeared to be a high rate of speed followed by gasps and sirens.

Authorities said the vehicle was recovered, but haven’t said if the driver was taken into custody.

Mayor Shawn Reilly told WITI in Milwaukee that he does not believe there is any current danger to the public.

One video shows the SUV striking what appears to be members of a marching band and several others along the parade route before driving on. The sound of the marching band heard before the SUV approaches is replaced by screams.

Angelito Tenorio, a West Allis alderman who is running for Wisconsin state treasurer, told The Associated Press that he was watching the parade with his family when they saw the SUV come speeding into the area.

“Then we heard a loud bang,” Tenorio said. “And after that, we just heard deafening cries and screams from the crowd, from the people at the parade. And people started rushing, running away with tears in their eyes crying.”

Tenorio said he saw about 10 people, children and adults, on the ground who appeared to have been hit by the vehicle.

“It just happened so fast,” he said. “It was pretty horrifying.”

Check back for updates on this breaking news story.

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