Law enforcement officials in Wisconsin issued a “shelter in place now” order for everyone within a half-mile radius of downtown Waukesha, Wisconsin, late on Sunday evening following an incident in which a driver ran over multiple people during a Christmas parade.
“If you are within a ½ mile radius of the 5 points downtown, shelter in place now,” the alert said. “Wait for an all clear message.”
UPDATE: Police have issued a shelter in place order for everyone within a half-mile radius of downtown Waukesha. https://t.co/vfGoqUasGN
— NBC 26 News (@NBC26) November 22, 2021
JUST IN- we received this alert to shelter in place within a 1/2 mile radius of downtown in #Waukesha @WISN12News pic.twitter.com/9K1Y45Fvst
— Courtney Sisk (@Courtney_SiskTV) November 22, 2021
.@WaukeshaPD just sent out a public safety alert telling people within a certain radius of downtown to shelter in place. pic.twitter.com/3HVBAmvxH0
— Rose Schmidt (@RoseSchmidtTV) November 22, 2021
Nearby Carroll University said that their campus was “on lockdown due to an ongoing incident” and that everyone needed to shelter in place.
The Carroll University campus is on lockdown due to an ongoing incident. Please stay safe and in your location until further notice and shelter in place. Updates will be provided ASAP.
— Carroll University (@carrollu) November 22, 2021
“More than 20 people were injured when an SUV plowed into a Christmas parade in the Milwaukee suburb of Waukesha on Sunday,” the Associated Press reported. “A live video feed of the parade from the city of Waukesha, as well as videos taken by parade attendees, showed a red SUV breaking through barriers and speeding into the roadway where the parade was taking place.”
Some local news reports said that law enforcement initially indicated that there were “at least 30 people down with injuries.”
Angelito Tenorio, a West Allis alderman who is running for Wisconsin state treasurer, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that it all happened “so fast.”
“As we were walking back in between the buildings that we saw an SUV crossover, just put the pedal to the metal and just zooming full speed along the parade route. And then we heard a loud bang, and just deafening cries and screams from people who are struck by the vehicle,” Tenorio said. “And then, and then we saw people running away or stopping crying, and there, there are people on the ground who looked like they’d been hit by the vehicle.”
Corey Montiho, a Waukesha school district board member, said that his daughter’s dance team was hit by the SUV.
“They were pom-poms and shoes and spilled hot chocolate everywhere. I had to go from one crumpled body to the other to find my daughter,” he said. “My wife and two daughters were almost hit. Please pray for everybody. Please pray.”
Related: Video Emerges of SUV Running Over People During Waukesha Christmas Parade