The driver of a red SUV that tore through a Waukesha, Wisconsin parade on Sunday evening, injuring over 40 people and leaving at least five dead, has been identified as 39-year-old Darrell Brooks, Jr. by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. TMZ reports that Brooks raps under the stage name MathBoi Fly, and a fews years ago he prominently showcased the same red SUV in a music video for his song “Half a Tikket.”
The song has recently been deleted from YouTube, replaced with the statement, “This video is no longer available because the YouTube account associated with this video has been terminated.” Before that happened, the video was downloaded and re-uploaded on other accounts, and for the moment can be viewed below.
This year’s Waukesha Christmas parade was themed “Comfort and Joy,” and was expected to be a celebration as the event returned from a pandemic hiatus. At approximately 4:40 p.m., a red SUV barreled past barricades in the Milwaukee suburb and swerved into the crowd. The Waukesha Police Department confirmed five deaths and over 40 injuries, though cautioned that those numbers may rise. Brooks has been in custody since Sunday evening.
While law enforcement have not identified the victims, some organizations have publicly mourned the loss of their members. On Facebook, the group Milwaukee Dancing Grannies wrote that they were “devastated by this terrible tragedy,” noting that, “Those who died were extremely passionate Grannies. Their eyes gleamed…..joy of being a Grannie. They were the glue….held us together.”
Additionally, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee noted that a priest was among the injured, as well as parishioners and students at a local Catholic school. The Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin said they have treated 18 injured kids. Two have since been released, but ten children remain in the ICU, and six of those are in critical condition.
Brooks has been arrested several times previously, most recently on November 5th, when he was charged as part of a domestic abuse incident. A woman claimed that he followed her to a gas station after a fight and ran her “over with his vehicle.” He was also charged with resisting or obstructing an officer and reckless endangerment. In the last two years, he was charged two additional times with recklessly endangering the safety of others.
Brooks was released from jail just two days before the parade after posting $1,000 bond. Today, the Milwaukee County District Attorney said the state should have requested a higher cash bond, and that an internal investigation is under way.
Waukesha Parade: 39-year-old Darrell Brooks is in custody.
Brooks was recently released on a $1000 cash bond in an unrelated case.
In that case, charges include 2nd degree recklessly endangering safety & batter w/domestic abuse modifiers#waukesha #waukeshaChristmasParade pic.twitter.com/H4DymzCakL— Kristen Barbaresi (@KristenBarbar) November 22, 2021
Children’s Wisconsin on the condition of the 18 kids:
the following are in the ICU
-6 critical condition
-3 serious condition
-1 fair condition-8 others are in fair condition & not in the ICU#Waukesha #waukeshaChristmasParade
— Kristen Barbaresi (@KristenBarbar) November 22, 2021
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