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Darrell Brooks found guilty of homicide in deadly Wisconsin Christmas parade attack

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EMILY SHAPIRO
·2 min read
Darrell Brooks found guilty of homicide in deadly Wisconsin Christmas parade attack

Darrell Brooks has been found guilty of all six counts of first-degree intentional homicide for barreling his SUV into a Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin.

Six people were killed and dozens were injured when Brooks' car plowed into paradegoers on Nov. 21, 2021. The victims killed ranged in age from 8 to 81.

Brooks had his head down with his hands covering his face as the verdicts were read. He was found guilty on all 76 counts.

PHOTO: Darrell Brooks reacts as the guilty verdict is read during his trial in a Waukesha County Circuit Court in Waukesha, Wis., Oct. 26, 2022. (Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel via AP, Pool)
PHOTO: Darrell Brooks reacts as the guilty verdict is read during his trial in a Waukesha County Circuit Court in Waukesha, Wis., Oct. 26, 2022. (Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel via AP, Pool)
PHOTO: Darrell Brooks reacts as the guilty verdict is read during his trial in a Waukesha County Circuit Court in Waukesha, Wis., Oct. 26, 2022. (Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel via AP, Pool)
PHOTO: Darrell Brooks reacts as the guilty verdict is read during his trial in a Waukesha County Circuit Court in Waukesha, Wis., Oct. 26, 2022. (Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel via AP, Pool)

Witnesses took the stand for the prosecution, recounting the screaming and crying as victims were struck by the fast-moving car.

"After the vehicle had come through ... I looked back and saw all the carnage behind us. My thought then was that we were involved in some sort of terrorist act," Detective Lukas Hallark said on the stand, according to Milwaukee ABC affiliate WISN. "[There was] overwhelming fear and overwhelming panic amongst everyone in downtown Waukesha."

PHOTO: In this Nov. 22, 2021, file photo, police canvas debris left after a driver plowed into the Christmas parade on Main Street in downtown Waukesha, Wis. (Jim Vondruska/Getty Images, FILE)
PHOTO: In this Nov. 22, 2021, file photo, police canvas debris left after a driver plowed into the Christmas parade on Main Street in downtown Waukesha, Wis. (Jim Vondruska/Getty Images, FILE)
PHOTO: In this Nov. 22, 2021, file photo, memorials are left in areas where people were hit by a driver plowing into the Christmas parade on Main Street in Waukesha, Wis. (Jim Vondruska/Getty Images, FILE)
PHOTO: In this Nov. 22, 2021, file photo, memorials are left in areas where people were hit by a driver plowing into the Christmas parade on Main Street in Waukesha, Wis. (Jim Vondruska/Getty Images, FILE)

MORE: Wisconsin Christmas parade: 8-year-old boy identified as 6th fatality

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Brooks, 40, dismissed his public defenders during the trial and went on to represent himself.

"This incident was not planned, not intentional. This incident was never even thought about," Brooks told the jury in his opening statement, according to WISN.

PHOTO: Darrell Brooks is asked to remove his mask so a witness for the prosecution could identify him, on Oct. 14, 2022, during Brooks' trial at the Waukesha County Circuit Court in Waukesha, Wis. (Angela Peterson/Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel via AP, Pool)
PHOTO: Darrell Brooks is asked to remove his mask so a witness for the prosecution could identify him, on Oct. 14, 2022, during Brooks' trial at the Waukesha County Circuit Court in Waukesha, Wis. (Angela Peterson/Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel via AP, Pool)

Brooks had multiple outbursts during the trial. At one point, he was moved to an auxiliary courtroom due to disruptive behavior. Judge Jennifer Dorow said Brooks was "having a stare down with me, it’s very disrespectful. He pounded his fist. Frankly, it’s making me scared," reported WISN.

The city of Waukesha had always held its Christmas parade before Thanksgiving. But this year the parade will take place on Dec. 4.

"By adjusting the Christmas Parade date, more resources are available for staffing in cases of unplanned emergencies which includes Police and Fire Department resources, hospital staff, and many others," the city said in a statement.

Darrell Brooks found guilty of homicide in deadly Wisconsin Christmas parade attack originally appeared on abcnews.go.com