The 39-year-old Milwaukee, Wisconsin man who drove his SUV through a Christmas parade in Waukesha killing 5 people and injuring dozens more, never should have been in a position to do so. Darrell E. Brooks Jr. has a criminal record that dates back to 1999.

Brooks Jr., has been charged with numerous violent felonies and had an active arrest warrant in Nevada for failure to obey sex offender laws. In 2006 Brooks was convicted of having consensual sex with a 15-year-old and conceiving a child with the young woman.

Brooks jumped bail and never appeared in court. Earlier this month Brooks was arrested for running a woman over with the same red SUV he drove during his killing spree. He was released from prison on a mere $1,000 bail.

Brooks drove his car through the Waukesha Christmas Parade on Sunday, leaving five people dead, 48 individuals injured including two children who are still in critical condition. Brooks, the lone suspect, will be charged with five counts of first-degree intentional homicide and other offenses, according to police chief Dan Thompson.

Fox News reports:

“There is no evidence that this is a terrorist incident,” Chief Thompson said. “We have no information that Brooks knew anybody from the parade.”

One officer discharged his firearm to try to stop the suspect, but did not strike Brooks or any bystanders.

“He drove right through the barricades and the officers,” Chief Thompson said. “When an officer tried to engage and stop the threat, he still continued through the crowd.
Waukesha Fire Chief Steve Howard described the “carnage” that first responders saw as they provided medical aid to the injured.

“What stands out in my mind from our conversations, we do have people with military backgrounds and they likened it to a war zone,” Howard said.

Thompson noted that residents also immediately started working with first responders to triage victims and transport them to local hospitals.

“Minutes after the incident occurred, I responded to the scene, and what I saw out of chaos and tragedy, was heroes,” Thompson said.

The five deceased victims are 81-year-old Wilhelm Hospel, 79-year-old Virginia Sorenson, 71-year-old LeAnna Owen, 52-year-old Tamara Durand, and 52-year-old Jane Kulich.