More Than 20 Injured After SUV Plows Through Wisconsin Parade, One Person of Interest Arrested

More than a dozen police cars and emergency response vehicles descended on a holiday parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin, on Sunday, following reports of gunshots and reckless driving. Attendees have since been evacuated from the parade route.

More than 20 individuals were injured after being plowed down by a red SUV around 4:39 p.m. local time on Sunday, according to preliminary reports from Waukesha law enforcement officials. At least two individuals are believed dead.

Waukesha Police Chief Daniel Thompson told reporters during a news conference that the vehicle involved in the weekend incident has been recovered, and that there are no active threats against the community at present.

Thompson further relayed to the public that one person of interest has been identified. A later update indicated that the individual had been taken into custody. Earlier reports indicated that one suspect had been arrested, but that up to two more suspects may be on the run.

"I have to get more information because I don't want to give you bad information,” Thompson later said when asked whether the person of interest had been taken into custody.

Shortly after the brief update on the evolving situation, the Waukesha Police Department issued a "shelter in place" alert, warning all individuals within a 5 mile radius to "wait for an all clear message." The precautionary measure was lifted moments later.

Waukesha now. pic.twitter.com/TsXYGeCbN8

— Evan Casey (@ecaseymedia) November 22, 2021

Local authorities initially labeled the incident as a mass casualty event, with some patients being rushed to hospitals outside of the city.

We are on scene now. One man says “most of his family are in the hospital” as he and his wife walked away. There are emergency crews everywhere @fox6now pic.twitter.com/VGltjs2R9Z

— Sam Kraemer (@SamKraemerTV) November 21, 2021

One witness told Fox 6 reporter Sam Kraemer that he saw dozens of people laying in the intersection of Barstow and Main, which has since been shut down by local law enforcement.

A family reunification site has been established at the Metro Transit Center near Bank St.

The Christmas Parade is today, Sunday, November 21 at 4pm! We hope to see you there!

If you aren't able to make it in person, the parade will be live on the City's Facebook page.#Waukesha #Waukesha125 #DowntownWaukesha pic.twitter.com/xMH0sz7Pd4

— cityofwaukesha (@CityofWaukesha) November 21, 2021

Graphic footage from an aerial vantage point shows a red SUV veering to the left before plowing over several children marching in the parade.

The SUV can be seen whizzing by members of a marching band in another brief video clip uploaded to social media. A police officer is then seen chasing the vehicle on foot.

This was recorded from the City of Waukesha’s Facebook account, which was streaming the parade.

You can see a red SUV speed right past these band members, hear screams and then a law enforcement officer running. @fox6now pic.twitter.com/8lO5oRuP1I

— Sam Kraemer (@SamKraemerTV) November 21, 2021

Kaylee Staral, an eyewitness, told CNN that she saw a red SUV "running down the middle of the street" during the parade and, at first, thought the screams were for santa.

"It hit a lot of people," she recounted, speaking of the SUV.

Other individuals from the scene claimed that cops fired several shots at the SUV after it began plowing over individuals -- many of them children.

Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow took to social media following the event and noted that Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers (D) has been made aware of the inicdent.

"This is an unspeakable tragedy, affecting us all as we work to overcome an extremely challenging two years and resume our cherished holiday traditions," Farrow tweeted.

"Keep the families affected in your thoughts as we work to offer whatever support we can."