January 1, 8-Year-Old Succumbs to Injuries From Christmas Parade Tragedy

In Wisconsin, an eight-year-old boy has succumbed to injuries sustained by a man driving his SUV into a Christmas parade, bringing the death toll to 6.

“This afternoon, our dear Jackson has sadly succumbed to his injuries and passed away,” his GoFundMe page’s organizer, Alyssa Albro, wrote.

Darrell Brooks Jr., 39, was charged with five counts of first-degree intentional homicide. The Associated Press reported that Brooks cried throughout his court hearing on Tuesday.

“The nature of this offense is shocking,” Waukesha Court Commissioner Kevin Costello said.

Waukesha County District Attorney Susan Opper said additional charges related to the sixth casualty and the 62 people — many of them children — injured would come later this week or next.

Brooks was evading police when he plowed into the Waukesha Christmas parade on Sunday night, refusing to stop even after an officer fired three shots into the vehicle and another banged on the hood.

Within hours of the incident, five people were pronounced dead.

Brooks faces a life sentence if convicted. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for Jan. 14.

Source:

Child is 6th death in Waukesha parade crash; suspect charged