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Waukesha tragedy: Milwaukee Dancing Grannies mourn loss of members in FB post

Milwaukee Dancing Grannies released a post on Facebook where they thanked everyone who helped and were requesting people to pray for the victims

Update: Milwaukee Dancing Grannies is mourning the loss of multiple members of its squad who died at the Waukesha parade. In their initial post they had only mentioned that some of grannies were injured but they did not refer to any casualties. Even in the post they updated on November 22, the number of deaths has not been given. 

In an update on Facebook, the group posted ..."Those who died were extremely passionate Grannies. Their eyes gleamed.....joy of being a Grannie. They were the glue....held us together. Our hearts are heavy at this most difficult time, as more information and updates become available it will be posted. Please keep them their families, friends, the Milwaukee Dancing Grannies and everyone who lives have forever changed in your thoughts and prayers."

WAUKESHA, WISCONSIN: At least five people have been killed and more than 40 injured after a car plowed into a Christmas parade in Wisconsin. Various school groups, teens and a dancing troupe who call themselves the Milwaukee Dancing Grannies were among those marching through the street when a red SUV came barreling down the road and crashed into them. The choreographed dance/pompom parade ensemble soon updated the public and their supporters via Facebook and begged the public for prayers on November 21 evening. 

An official statement also noted that many people took themselves to hospitals. The city did not release any additional information about those who died. A “person of interest” was in custody, Waukesha Police Chief Dan Thompson said, but he gave no details about the person or any possible motive. On the Internet meanwhile, a person by the name of Darrell E Brooks is being accused of being the suspect in custody. The investigation is ongoing so these are unconfirmed reports as of now. 

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"Thank you for your concern about the Milwaukee Dancing Grannies. Members of the group and volunteers were impacted and we are waiting for word on their conditions. Please keep the Grannies, all those injured, and all those who witnessed this horrible event in your thoughts and prayers," the Milwaukee Dancing Grannies posted on their Facebook page.

Social media was touched by the post and soon many commented with their prayers for the victims of the tragedy. "How very tragic and sad   I so hope everyone recovers ok after this traumatic event such a shame to have happened after the wonderful time," wrote a woman on FB in response to their post. Another woman wished the group well as she recounted having encountered something similar: "Prayers from Oklahoma where we had something similarly tragic happen at a homecoming parade. Praying for all affected." "Prayers for all in this horrible act of violence," wrote another.

At a press conference, Waukesha Police Chief Dan Thompson described the situation as "extremely terrible" and "chaotic." According to Thompson, a suspicious vehicle has been recovered and police have apprehended a "person of interest." No information about a possible motivation has been revealed by the police. The incident was described by Waukesha Mayor Shawn Reilly as a "terrible, pointless tragedy."

"I walked in the parade at the beginning," Reilly spoke at the press conference. "I saw the happy children sitting on the curb. I saw happy parents behind their children. I can still see the smiling faces. A parade is a celebration for our community." Tony Evers who is the governor of Wisconsin tweeted, “Kathy and I are praying for Waukesha tonight and all the kids, families, and community members affected by this senseless act. I'm grateful for the first responders and folks who acted quickly to help, and we are in contact with local partners as we await more information."

The White House said in a statement that it was "closely monitoring the situation in Waukesha," and that "our hearts go out to everyone who has been impacted by this terrible incident." Biden administration officials have "reached out to state and local officials to offer any support and assistance as needed."