Parade Tragedy Suspect’s Social Media Posts Show BLM Support

The man who allegedly drove a red SUV through a Christmas parade in Wisconsin on Sunday evening had numerous posts on social media expressing support for Black Lives Matter and “black nationalist rhetoric” along with disdain for Republican politicians and conservative media.

The suspect is currently in police custody after the incident resulted in the deaths of at least five people and injuries to more than 40 others.

“A lone subject intentionally drove his maroon SUV through barricades into a crowd of people that was celebrating the Waukesha Christmas Parade which resulted in killing five individuals and injuring 48 additional individuals,” Thompson said at a press conference. “I just received information that two of the 48 are children and they’re in critical condition.”

According to the online news outlet Heavy, the suspect “posted anti-police rhetoric” and “black nationalist rhetoric” on social media. He also “posted a photoshopped fake image of former Republican Governor Scott Walker as a Nazi.”

One Twitter user posted some of the suspect’s now-deleted Facebook posts, which showed extreme support for BLM.

The suspect’s support for BLM is particularly notable because the incident occurred in Waukesha, Wisconsin, which is just an hour drive away from Kenosha, Wisconsin, where Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted on all charges – just two days before the parade attack – for shootings that killed two men and injured a third during last year’s BLM riots.

The suspect additionally has a long criminal history, having “been charged with or convicted on an array of charges over the past 22 years, including battery, domestic violence, cocaine possession and resisting arrest in several jurisdictions in Wisconsin,” The New York Times reported. “He has served at least two jail sentences and spent years on probation and in court-mandated work-release and anger management programs.”

The suspect had been released from jail on Friday – the same day Rittenhouse was acquitted – after posting bail that had been set at $1,000 for three misdemeanor and two felony charges, including felony bail jumping.

The Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm’s office described the $1,000 bail as “inappropriately low” in a statement on Monday.

The statement said, “On November 5, 2021, the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s office issued against [the suspect] charges of Second Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety, Felony Bail Jumping, Battery, Obstructing an Officer and Disorderly Conduct … The most recent case against [the suspect] was appropriately charged. The state made a cash bail request in this case of $1,000, which was set by the court. The defendant posted $1,000 cash bail on November 11, resulting in his release from custody.”

“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 [the suspect],” the statement added. “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.”