We give you the latest on the July Fourth parade attack in Highland Park, Ill., an Independence Day celebration that turned deadly, wherein seven people were killed by a shooter using a high-powered rifle.
The gunman who targeted a Fourth of July parade in a Chicago suburb “planned his attack for several weeks”, police say.
Illinois Law enforcement have said that a mass shooting that took place in a community near Chicago, Illinois during US Independence Day celebrations was “pre-planned”, the suspected attacker bought the rifle used in the shooting “legally” and dressed in women’s clothing to evade detection.
The attacker was identified as Robert E Crimo III and has been charged with 7 counts of first-degree murder Tuesday.
In Monday’s tragic shooting, six people were killed and at least 39 were injured in the gunfire that was initially mistaken for fireworks, according to officials.
Authorities confirmed Tuesday afternoon that a seventh person died at a hospital outside of Lake County. The identity of the seventh victim has not been released.
Police said that the suspect opened fire from a suburban Chicago rooftop that sent hundreds of parade-goers fleeing the scene leaving behind personal belongings like chairs, strollers, and bicycles.
“This was very random, very intentional, and a very sad day,” Sgt. Christopher Covelli, of the Lake County Major Crime Task Force, during a press update.
Seven victims of the shooting have been confirmed by Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek, who identified six of the deceased as:
- Katherine Goldstein, 64, of Highland Park
- Irina McCarthy, 35, of Highland Park
- Kevin McCarthy, 37, of Highland Park
- Jacquelyn Sundheim, 63, of Highland Park
- Steven Straus, 88, of Highland Park
- Nicolas Toledo, 78, from Mexico
According to The Daily Wire:
Police recovered a “high-powered rifle” on the unsecured rooftop of a local business.
Before authorities took the suspect into custody, he was considered armed and dangerous until FBI agents spotted him at home in Highwood, Illinois, where neighbors said he lives with his family.
A poster released by the FBI said the person of interest is a white male weighing 120 pounds and standing 5’11” tall. With a thin frame, the suspect also has brown hair with several tattoos, including four tally marks with a line running through them on his right cheek, red rose and green leaves on his neck, and cursive script about his left eyebrow.
According to reports, the suspect had a YouTube page under the handle “Awake the Rapper.” One video that has raised Twitter users’ eyebrows shows a pencil drawing of a person gunning down a crowd in between a montage of shots featuring the suspect backed by cinematic-like music.
Now, a second video allegedly from the suspect where he recites a poem that frequently repeats he is “like a sleepwalker” that “can’t be stopped” was recovered by ‘The Post Millennial’.
A bizarre video uploaded to YouTube eight months ago (approximately November 2o21) featuring the person of interest in the Highland Park, Ill. shooting has been discovered.
A post about Robert “Bobby” E. Crimo III, 22, who also goes by the stage name “Awake,” has Crimo reciting a poem in which he frequently repeats that he is “like a sleepwalker” that “can’t be stopped.”
You can read the full transcription of the video here: The Post Millennial
The murderer’s uncle didn’t see any warning signs that would lead him to believe his nephew would become a mass shooter.
He told CNN he never saw him engage in any violence or concerning behavior, adding he was unaware of his nephew’s political views. “He’s a quiet kid, he’s usually on his own. He’s a lonely, quiet person. He keeps everything to himself,” he said.
According to his uncle, the suspect lives in an apartment behind the house owned by his father and he never saw the suspect with friends at his apartment. The uncle also told the outlet that his nephew wasn’t working, though he worked at Panera Bread before the COVID pandemic.
The uncle also said the suspect was active on YouTube. And the last time he saw his nephew was on Sunday night when he was sitting on a recliner in the house, looking at his computer.
“Everything was as normal,” he said.
Social media users have also posted the suspect’s last Facebook post from May 29, 2021, which says, “You’re all sinners.”
Robert “Bobby” E. Crimo III, the pos from the Highland Park shooting, has been taken into custody. Also, this is his last Facebook post pic.twitter.com/IrsHUM6G5y
— LouAye (@LouAye_) July 5, 2022
Sources: TheDailyWire, The Post Millennial, CNN