On Nov. 21 in downtown Waukesha, Wisconsin, an SUV plowed through the town’s Christmas parade killing six people and injuring over 60. 

The suspect to blame for this tragedy is 39-year-old Darrell Brookes Jr. He is currently being charged with six cases of first degree intentional homicide, and each of these charges come with a maximum sentence of life in prison. 

Witnesses at the event say he was swerving and even looked like he was intentionally trying to hit people. Multiple officers were pursuing the maroon SUV with one officer firing three shots in an attempt to stop Brookes.

After the attack, he was kept in the Waukesha County Jail for 10 days, and on Dec. 1, he finally spoke with Fox News.

“I just feel like I’m [made out to be a] monster – demonized,” Brookes told Fox News Digital. 

Brookes’ criminal history dates back to 1999, so this is not his first act of crime. In July 2020, Brookes was charged with two counts of second-degree recklessly endangering someone else’s safety and another count of possessing a gun despite being convicted of a felony. This was because he shot at his nephew along with another person. 

Brookes is also a convicted sex offender who is wanted in Nevada for not obeying the sex offender laws according to the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office.

Earlier in November, he was let out of jail on a $1,000 bail for allegedly running over another woman with the same maroon SUV, and right before the parade, he is said to have been in an altercation involving a knife. 

The next day after the parade, the community came together to pay their respect to those who lost their lives. They set up cross memorials, and some of the city leaders spoke on the incidents that unfolded the day before. 

“Even though there will be many painful nights ahead, and whether it is grieving the loss of a loved one, or healing from physical injuries, or recovering from extreme emotional pain, our presence says that we as a community will work together to help all heal,” Waukesha County Mayor Shawn Reilly told residents. “Tonight, this vigil is a small first step in healing for our community.”