Virginia “Ginny” Sorenson, a 79-year-old White/Caucasian woman, was among the people taking part in the annual Waukesha Christmas Parade on November 21, 2021, when what had been an evening of celebration turned into one of the deadliest events in the city’s history. Sorenson had spent about 19 years with the Milwaukee Dancing Grannies, serving as an instructor and choreographer for the group.
Although physical problems with her hip and back had made it difficult for her to continue dancing herself, she remained deeply involved, organizing routines and helping keep the group together. She had worked as a registered nurse, was a mother of three and grandmother of six, and had been married to her husband, David, for 56 years.
Sorenson had originally expected to have a less physically demanding role in the parade, but the Dancing Grannies were short on participants. She ended up walking with the group and carrying its banner near the back of the formation. Her husband was waiting in a vehicle near the end of the parade route for her to arrive. As the group moved through downtown Waukesha, a red Ford Escape suddenly entered the closed parade route and began traveling through the procession, striking marchers and spectators. Sorenson was among those hit. The joyful atmosphere was replaced almost instantly by screams, injured people lying in the street, and rescuers rushing into the parade route to help.
Sorenson died from the injuries she suffered in the attack. Fellow Dancing Grannies LeAnna Owen and Tamara Durand were also killed, along with group volunteer Wilhelm Hospel and parade participant Jane Kulich. Eight-year-old Jackson Sparks later died from his injuries, bringing the death toll to six. Dozens of other people, including children and members of marching groups, were injured. The loss was particularly devastating to the Dancing Grannies, who described Sorenson as a central figure in the organization and someone whose love of dancing, teaching and friendship helped hold the group together.
Police identified Darrell E. Brooks Jr. as the driver of the SUV. Investigators determined that Brooks had been involved in a domestic disturbance shortly before entering the parade route. Police said there was no evidence that he knew the people participating in the parade and no indication that the incident was an act of terrorism. Authorities also said officers were not actively pursuing Brooks when he drove into the parade. An officer fired at the SUV in an attempt to stop it but discontinued firing because of the danger that additional gunfire could pose to the people surrounding the vehicle. Brooks was taken into custody, and prosecutors initially charged him with five counts of first-degree intentional homicide. Additional charges followed after the full scope of the deaths and injuries became known.
The criminal case ultimately grew to 76 charges. Brooks chose to represent himself during the 2022 trial in Waukesha County Circuit Court. Prosecutors presented testimony from parade participants, police officers and others who witnessed the SUV travel through the crowd. A central issue was whether Brooks intentionally continued driving despite repeatedly striking people. Prosecutors argued that his actions after the first impact, including continuing through the parade rather than stopping, demonstrated the intent required for the homicide charges. On October 26, 2022, after a trial lasting several weeks and a little more than three hours of jury deliberations, Brooks was found guilty on every charge. Those convictions included six counts of first-degree intentional homicide, 61 counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety with a dangerous weapon, six counts of hit-and-run involving death, two counts of bail jumping and one count of misdemeanor battery.
On November 16, 2022, Judge Jennifer Dorow sentenced Brooks to life in prison without the possibility of extended supervision for each of the six intentional-homicide convictions, with the life sentences imposed consecutively. Additional sentences for the reckless-endangerment, hit-and-run, bail-jumping and battery convictions added hundreds of years of imprisonment. The sentence ensured that Brooks would never be released from prison. Virginia Sorenson’s death was therefore not left as an unresolved homicide; the man who drove the SUV that killed her was arrested, prosecuted, convicted and sentenced to spend the remainder of his life incarcerated.
