New Orleans deadly truck attack brings rush of memories to Waukesha

As the country awoke on New Year’s Day to learn a driver rammed through Bourbon Street in New Orleans, killing at least 14 people and injuring more than 30 others, the residents of Waukesha were transported back to November 2021. 

“This hit home and is very hard as we have and share a special connection with many people, dance groups and the entire New Orleans community,” said Jean Knutson, co-leader of the Milwaukee Dancing Grannies. 

Six people were killed during the Waukesha Christmas Parade on Nov. 21, 2021, including four affiliated with the Dancing Grannies, when Darrell Brooks Jr. drove his SUV through the parade. More than 70 others were injured. 

Brooks was sentenced to life in prison on 76 charges.

After seeing the vehicular attack in New Orleans, Knutson said the dance troupe is “exhausted, numb and still in disbelief.” 

On New Year’s Day, the Dancing Grannies posted on its Facebook page that it would be a hard journey ahead for the people of New Orleans. 

“While you will never be the same, healing is possible. We are with you however we can be. With 💙 The Grannies,” the post reads. 

Recovery never comes, but peace does

Waukesha Mayor Shawn Reilly said you never recover from losing a loved one or seeing someone killed. But he said the people of New Orleans will one day find peace. 

“It’s a process, and for some people, it takes much longer to get to the point where they’re at peace with what happened,” Reilly said. 

After the Waukesha Parade incident, the city installed street barriers downtown, which are now used during nearly all public events. 

Reilly said the process was expensive, but gives people peace of mind. 

“I think it’s very important for a community to come together, and to have fun together,” Reilly said. “I don’t want to see parades go away. But I think a lot of communities are going to have to think a lot more in depth about how to protect the people within the area where the street is being used for pedestrians to have a good time.” 

During a press conference Thursday, the FBI said Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the driver of the pickup truck who plowed into a crowd in New Orleans, acted alone and there is no other threat around the Bourbon Street area, according to NPR. 

Jabbar, a 42-year-old Army veteran from Houston, was killed in a gunfire exchange with police following the attack, which is being investigated as “an act of terrorism,” agency officials said. 

A black flag with ties to ISIS was attached to the back of the pickup truck. And while an exact motive is unclear, FBI officials said Jabbar was “100 percent inspired” by the terrorist group, according to NPR. 

Reilly said he knows New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell is getting more emails, phone calls and text messages than she could possibly respond to, but he sent her an email expressing his sympathy and two pieces of advice. 

After living through a similar tragedy three years ago, Reilly said immediately knowing where to direct people to put up their memorials to honor the victims is helpful. And set up a portal with a trusted nonprofit for donations.

“The city of Waukesha was receiving donations — but the city didn’t want that money, we wanted it to go to the victims,” Reilly said. “It can get tough.”