A member of the Milwaukee Dancing Grannies and a beloved grandmother were among those who were killed in Waukesha parade
CNN
By Claudia Dominguez and Lauren M. Johnson, CNN
Five people were killed and 48 were injured after a red SUV sped into Waukesha’s Christmas parade Sunday afternoon.
The five deceased victims from Sunday’s incident range in age from 52 to 81 and include 4 females and one male, according to Police Chief Dan Thompson.
The city of Waukesha confirmed the names of the victims Monday as Virginia Sorenson, 79; LeAnna Owen, 71; Tamara Durand, 52; Jane Kulich, 52 and Wilhelm Hospel, 81.
The Milwaukee Dancing Grannies: LeAnna Owen
The Milwaukee Dancing Grannies posted a statement on Facebook Monday, saying members of the group were among the dead Sunday in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
“Those who died were extremely passionate Grannies,” according to the group’s statement.
One of those women was LeAnna (Lee) Owen, who had been the manager at Packard Glen Apartments for almost 10 years, property owner Dave Schmidt told CNN. His staff posted a statement for residents informing them of her death, as a member of the group.
“This was one of her passions that she truly loved,” the statement said. “She was so proud to be part of this group and lit up when she talked about it.”
The Milwaukee Dancing Grannies did not mention how many members of the group were affected or injured in the incident.
The group goes on to say they “are devasted (sic) by this terrible tradegy (sic) with of loss of life and injuries in the Waukesha Christmas parade.”
“Our group was doing what they loved, performing in front of crowds in a parade putting smiles on faces of all ages, filling them with joy and happiness.”
CNN has reached out to the Milwaukee Dancing Grannies and police this morning, but has not heard back.
Jane Kulich, 52
Milwaukee native Jane Kulich, 52, was representing her employer, Citizens Bank, in the parade when she was struck and killed, according to her daughter Taylor Smith.
“She was an amazing mom and grandma. Everyone loved her,” Smith told CNN.
Kulich is survived by her three children and three grandchildren.
In a Facebook post, Smith wrote, “My mom was killed last night. We are told she didn’t suffer.”
The family has started a GoFundMe page to help pay for Kulich’s funeral costs.
Charges expected tomorrow
A person of interest is in custody, according to authorities, and an investigation into the incident is ongoing.
The Waukesha County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement that charges will be filed tomorrow and additional charges will be filed at a later time.
“This tragedy has affected our entire community. We would like to acknowledge the work of the men and women in law enforcement who have done a tremendous job to save lives and protect our community,” the statement said.
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CNN’s Kay Jones, Raja Razek, Carroll Alvarado contributed to this report.
