A 6th person, a child, has died from the car attack that unfolded on Sunday in Waukesha, Wisconsin, when a 39-year-old black male plowed into a Christmas Parade, injuring 61 people.
“[The suspect] was charged Tuesday with five counts of first-degree intentional homicide in the parade incident, court documents show,” CNN reported.
Authorities are expected to file a 6th first-degree homicide charge against the suspect in the wake of the child being killed.
“[The suspect’s] bail was set at $5 million,” the Associated Press reported. “He will likely appear in court next on Jan. 14, 2022.”
CBS 58 reported that the 8-year-old boy who died also had a 12-year-old brother who was hit during the massacre.
The local news station identified a church, LifePoint Church, that posted an update on the situation.
The church stated:
Aaron Sparks and Sheri Sparks would like to thank everyone for your prayers and amazing support during this difficult time.
They wanted to give an update to everyone as you are likely aware, Tucker (12) and Jackson Sparks were both seriously injured during the Waukesha Christmas Parade attack and have been in the ICU since.
Tucker, by the grace of God is miraculously recovering from his injuries and will be being discharged home. This afternoon, our dear Jackson has sadly succumbed to his injuries and passed away.
Please know that they appreciate your continued prayers and tremendous outpouring of support for their family. They do however ask for privacy at this time to allow Tucker to continue to heal physically and their family to heal and mourn the tremendous loss of their sweet little boy who is now under the care of Jesus.
“A lone subject intentionally drove his maroon SUV through barricades into a crowd of people that was celebrating the Waukesha Christmas Parade which resulted in killing five individuals and injuring 48 additional individuals,” Waukesha Police Chief Daniel Thompson said at a press conference. “I just received information that two of the 48 are children and they’re in critical condition.”
The suspect “has been charged with or convicted on an array of charges over the past 22 years, including battery, domestic violence, cocaine possession and resisting arrest in several jurisdictions in Wisconsin,” The New York Times reported. “He has served at least two jail sentences and spent years on probation and in court-mandated work-release and anger management programs …”
Earlier this month, the suspect was arrested for allegedly punching his child’s mother in the face and hitting her with his car at a gas station. The criminal complaint from the incident says that “officers observed tire tracks on her left pants leg.”
The suspect was later released on $1,000 bail, which the Milwaukee Co. District Attorney said in statement today was “inappropriately low in light of the nature of the recent charges and the pending charges” against the suspect. “The bail recommendation in this case is not consistent with the approach of the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office toward matters involving violent crime, nor was it consistent with the risk assessment of the defendant prior to setting of bail,” the statement added.
This report has been updated to include additional information.