The person who drove through the Waukesha, Wisconsin, Christmas parade in November seemed devoid of emotion shortly before striking people, police officers testified Monday.
Waukesha officers Bryce Butryn and Sonia Schneider took the stand at Darrell Brooks’ trial, according to the Law & Crime Network’s YouTube livestream. Brooks is facing more than 70 charges after allegedly killing six people with a vehicle and injuring numerous others at the event, The Associated Press reported.
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Butryn heard on radio that a vehicle was entering the parade route, responding by standing with his hand raised on Waukesha’s Main Street and telling the vehicle to stop, according to his testimony.
Schneider, who was positioned near Butryn at the time, ran forward into the vehicle’s path when she saw it was not stopping for him and briefly tried in vain to direct it to the adjoining Buckley Street, according to her testimony.
“The driver appeared to be emotionless and was looking straight ahead, clearly ignoring anything that was to the sides of the vehicle,” Butryn said. (RELATED: Husband Of Woman Killed In 40-Year-Old Axe Murder Case Found Guilty)
“When I observed the driver he had no expression on his face and he was looking straight ahead, as if he was looking straight through me,” Schneider stated.
The vehicle drove past Butryn, seemed to pick up speed and swerved side-to-side with people and objects flying, he recalled seeing.
Brooks is acting as his own defense during the trial and questioned both Butryn and Schneider Monday. Judge Jennifer Dorow had ordered him removed from the main courtroom numerous times last week for being disruptive.
Brooks apologized for his earlier courtroom conduct Monday, claiming it did not reflect his upbringing.
“I come from a Christian background. My mother did not raise me that way,” he said. “She did not raise me to act out, out of frustration and irritation and anger, and I just wanted everybody to know that I apologize for my actions, and I’m gonna try my best, whatever happens, to conduct myself with respect, and with respect to the court, and I just wanted you all to know that.”
In a pre-trial interview with NBC News affiliate WTMJ, his mother said he would seem “manic, full blown” while acting as his own defense.
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