“We can confirm that 5 people were killed and 40 injured. However, these numbers may change as we gather additional information,” Wakisha police, where the accident occurred, said in a statement on its Facebook page, according to AFP.
Waukesha police indicated that a person was arrested pending investigation.
The accident occurred Sunday at 10:30 pm GMT in Waukesha, where a Christmas parade is held annually.
“The Christmas parade in Wakisha was going on when a four-wheel drive vehicle drove through barriers from the west side and headed for Main Street,” Police Chief Dan Thompson told a news conference, according to AFP.
“The car hit more than 20 people, including children, and there were also injuries as a result of the accident,” he added.
Police Chief Dan Thompson said, in an earlier press conference, that there were “dead” people, while local officials also indicated that 11 adults and 12 children had been taken to hospitals.
In a video clip on social media, the red car appeared to be speeding towards the crowd, as the police opened fire on it as it hit street barriers.
Thompson added that the police found the car and the person suspected of the accident.
An eyewitness said: “We saw a four-wheel drive vehicle… at full speed along a road. Then we heard a loud sound and deafening screams from people who had been hit by the car.”
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