Jill Biden, Emhoff expected to meet with Waukesha victims and families

A trio of Biden administration officials will visit Wisconsin on Wednesday to promote coronavirus vaccines and meet with victims and first responders of the Waukesha parade attack last month.

First lady Jill Biden, second gentleman Doug Emhoff and Surgeon General Vivek Murthy will all make the trip to Milwaukee and Waukesha this week, the White House announced on Monday.

The group will meet with victims of the tragedy at Children’s Wisconsin in addition to meeting with health care workers and children who just received COVID-19 vaccines. Biden and Emhoff are scheduled to make brief remarks, as part of the White House’s effort to encourage COVID-19 vaccines in those age 5 years old and up.

Federal health officials gave final approval for the Pfizer vaccine’s use in children in November.

Biden, Emhoff and Murthy will then visit privately with victims’ families and first responders of the Waukesha attack, before returning to Washington, according to the White House schedule.

The visit will be the first from high-level Biden administration officials to Waukesha in the wake of the attack on the Waukesha Christmas parade, which occurred just before Thanksgiving.

Authorities say Darrell Brooks drove his car into the crowd at the parade and killed six people, including an 8-year-old boy, and injuring over 60 people. Brooks was charged with five counts of first-degree intentional homicide soon after the attack. He faces a life sentence in prison if convicted.