Darrell Brooks found guilty on all charges in attack on Waukesha Christmas parade

Darrell Brooks, who is the 40-year-old man accused of driving a Ford Escape SUV through a Christmas parade in nearby Waukesha, Wisconsin last year, has been found guilty of six intentional first-degree homicide counts and along with a myriad of other charges.

Brooks, who had caused several disruptions during the trial, raised further objections over “subject matter jurisdiction” before the Judge Jennifer Dorow invited the jurors back. Brooks then made requests for several documents. His requests were denied.

In closing arguments made on Tuesday, Waukesha County District Attorney Susan Opper said the fact that Brooks didn’t stop after hitting the person in the parade shows he intended to kill people, she said.

“Just stop driving. That’s it. It’s really that simple. Not one person had to be hurt that day if he would have just stopped driving,” Opper said. “He plowed through 68 different people. Sixty-eight. How can you hit one and keep going? How can you hit two and keep going? How can you hit three and keep going? It didn’t faze him a bit. He kept going until he got to the end and there were no more bodies to hit.”

Brooks remained calm as the verdicts were delivered.

Brooks spoke to say “yes” that he would like the jurors to be polled after all counts were delivered and then quietly said “no” when asked if he was satisfied with the polling after it was finished.

In a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, victims’ family members, the state prosecutor and local police said that the verdict started the healing process for the local community.

Sean Sorensen, who is the son of Virginia “Ginny” Sorenson who died in the massacre, said that he felt his mother looking on as Brooks finally faced justice.

“We’ve been praying for this day for a long time,” he told reporters. “This morning my five-year-old daughter came up to me and handed me this necklack with my mom’s ashes in it and told me to take my mom with us for the sentencing… she was with us today.”

He added, “One last thing, my mom always used to tell us when we were kids, she always said ‘angels watch over you guys’. So, I just want to say that angels watch over you guys.”