City removes Christmas parade memorial

Marshall Sorenson sets down a cap in honor of his mother, Virginia ‘Ginny’ E. Sorenson on Wednesday in Waukesha moments before a ceremony gets underway to mark the taking down of a temporary memorial to victims of a deadly vehicle attack in the Waukesha Christmas Parade on Nov. 21. Sorenson’s mother was member of a group called Milwaukee Dancing Grannies, several of whom were killed in the attack. Pieces of the memorial will now be preserved by the Waukesha County Historical Society. (Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel via AP)

WAUKESHA, Wis. (AP) — Officials in Waukesha have taken down a makeshift memorial honoring people who were killed and injured when an SUV plowed through the city’s Christmas parade last month.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported city workers removed the memorial in Veterans Park on Wednesday. Mayor Shawn Reilly called for a moment of silence when the work was finished.

Investigators have accused Darrell Brooks of driving his SUV through the parade on Nov. 21. Six people were killed and dozens more hurt. Brooks has been charged with six homicide counts.

The memorial sprung up at the base of a sundial sculpture in Veterans Park following the parade. People left behind crosses, flowers, candles, teddy bears and baseballs to honor 8-year-old Jackson Sparks, who was killed as he marched with his youth baseball team in the parade.

The Waukesha County Historical Society plans to preserve some of the items. Others will become part of a permanent memorial.