Police say a man suspected of driving an SUV into crowds at a Wisconsin Christmas parade was involved in a domestic dispute minutes before the incident

• The suspect in the Wisconsin Christmas parade horror was involved in a domestic dispute minutes prior, police said.
• Suspect Darrell E. Brooks, 39, "intentionally" drove his maroon SUV into the crowd in Waukesha, cops said.

The man suspected of plowing an SUV into crowds marching in an annual Christmas parade in Wisconsin was involved in a domestic dispute minutes before the deadly incident, police said Monday.

Waukesha Police Chief Daniel Thompson said at a press briefing that suspect Darrell E. Brooks, 39, "intentionally" drove his maroon SUV through police barricades into a crowd at the parade in the small city of Waukesha at around 4:40 p.m. local time on Sunday.

Five people were killed and 48 were injured, including 18 children, when the suspect barreled through the crowd, authorities said.

Four women, two aged 52, a 79-year-old, and a 71-year-old, as well as an 81-year-old man were left dead as a result of the incident, according to police.

Thompson said that Brooks "was involved in a domestic disturbance" minutes prior to the parade horror "and left that scene" just before police arrived.

"The subject was taken into custody a short distance from the scene and we are confident he acted alone," Thompson said of Brooks."There is no evidence that this is a terrorist incident," he added.

Brooks, a Milwaukee resident, faces five counts of first-degree intentional homicide, according to Thompson, who said that additional charges are possible.

Thompson added, "We have no information that Brooks knew anybody in the parade."

The police chief explained that as the suspect drove through the crowd amid the holiday celebration, an officer opened fire on the SUV, but "due to the amount of people" in attendance, the officer had to stop.

No one was injured from the discharged weapon, and the officer has been placed on administrative leave as part of department protocol, Thompson said.

Meanwhile, Waukesha Fire Chief Steve Howard on Monday spoke about the aftermath of the deadly incident, saying it was "just carnage" and likened it to a "war zone."