The Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office said it launched an internal review of its “inappropriately low” bail recommendation in a recent domestic violence-related case involving the suspect in the mass casualty collision at a Christmas parade on Sunday.
The suspect, identified as Darrell Brooks Jr., is accused of speeding through barricades and into the Waukesha, Wisconsin, Christmas parade, hitting more than 40 adults and children and killing several. He will be charged with five counts of first-degree intentional homicide, authorities said Monday afternoon.
District Attorney John Chisholm said Brooks never should have been released from jail at such a low bail, which was set at $1,000.
“The State’s bail recommendation in this case was inappropriately low in light of the nature of the recent charges and the pending charges against Mr. Brooks,” Chisholm wrote in a statement on Monday. “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 district attorney added.
Brooks was charged with second-degree recklessly endangering safety, felony bail jumping, battery, obstructing an officer, and disorderly conduct on Nov. 5 in relation to a domestic violence incident three days prior, with police saying he ran over the mother of his child. He posted a $1,000 bond, according to the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office.
CHRISTMAS PARADE MASSACRE SUSPECT ID’D AS FELON DARRELL BROOKS JR. BAILED TWO DAYS EARLIER
BREAKING: The Milwaukee Co. District Attorney says Waukesha suspect Darrell Brooks should not have been released on such a low cash bond earlier this month. They are conducting an internal review.#Waukesha #waukeshaChristmasParade pic.twitter.com/GmUNOkwLpg
— Kristen Barbaresi (@KristenBarbar) November 22, 2021
Now, Brooks is the primary suspect in the mass casualty incident on Sunday. An SUV hurtled through a crowd at the parade and killed at least five people, injuring more than 40, according to police. The victims include minors and adults, but the total number of deceased and injured is not immediately clear.
The primary suspect in the parade collision also had another pending case stemming from a July 2020 incident involving charges of second-degree recklessly endangering safety and felon in possession of a firearm, according to records from the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office.
On a Facebook page belonging to Brooks, he wrote about the three-week, headline-grabbing Kyle Rittenhouse trial, which had taken place about an hour away from where he lived. Rittenhouse was found not guilty on Friday on five criminal charges after opening fire during a riot in Kenosha, Wisconsin, killing two people and injuring a third. His Facebook page was also filled with religious sayings.
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The Waukesha Police Department said Brooks “intentionally drove his maroon SUV through barricades into a crowd of people” at the parade and acted alone.
