Waukesha Christmas parade attacker was out on ‘inappropriately low’ $1,000 bond

The man who allegedly plowed through a Wisconsin Christmas parade may not have been free on bond if it had not been set ‘inappropriately low’ for an ongoing domestic violence case, the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office admitted Monday. 

Darrell Brooks, 39, was charged with five counts of intentional homicide for his rampage through the Waukesha holiday parade on Sunday, killing five people and injuring at least 48 others. 

He has a lengthy criminal record that spans decades and includes arrests for drugs and domestic abuse, including two active cases in Milwaukee. One of these from early November also involves the use of a vehicle in an attack. 

On Nov. 2, Brooks allegedly hit the mother of his child with his car after she followed him to a Milwaukee gas station after a fight.

He was arrested the same day, then charged with resisting or obstructing an officer, recklessly endangering safety, disorderly conduct, bail jumping, and battery on Nov. 5. He posted $1,000 bond on Nov. 11 and was released from Milwaukee County Jail on Nov. 16. 

The Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office said it was conducting an internal review of how the $1,000 bail was recommended by prosecutors and accepted by the court commissioner. 

“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,” Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm said in a statement regarding Brooks’ case from earlier this month. 

Julius Kim, a Milwaukee-based criminal defense attorney, said it may have been set low because of court congestion. 

“I do think it’s unusual for a prosecutor’s office to acknowledge a mistake like this, but I know the District Attorney personally, having worked in that office before, and it doesn’t surprise me that he did,” said Kim, who is also a former prosecutor. 

Those killed ranged from ages 52 to 81, including members of the Milwaukee Dancing Grannies, a group of grandmothers who perform dance routines for local parades and festivals. 

No children have died as of Tuesday morning, Children’s Wisconsin hospital is treating 18 children from the incident ranging from ages 3 to 16.