Pope Francis has assured his closeness to those affected by the crime in Waukesha, Wisconsin, where a driver mowed down participants in a Christmas parade.
With a message from his Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Pope assures his "spiritual closeness to all affected."
"He commends the souls of those who died to Almighty God's loving mercy and implores the divine gifts of healing and consolation upon the injured and bereaved," the message continues.
"He joins you in asking the Lord to bestow upon everyone the spiritual strength which triumphs over violence and overcomes evil with good (cf Romans 12:21)."
A priest and several Catholic parishioners and school children were among the injured when an SUV sped through a Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin, Sunday evening.
Five people were killed and 40 injured, and among them were a priest and Catholic school children.
A suspect, Darrell E. Brooks Jr., 39, was identified and arrested on November 23, but his motives are not yet clear. He had been released from jail on bail two weeks earlier after being jailed for a domestic violence case.
