2022 – July 4, Sniper shoots parade spectators from building roof, Highland Park, IL– 7

–7 CNN. “These are the lives lost from the July Fourth parade mass shooting.” 4-6-2022.
–7 CNN. “What we know about the Highland Park shooting suspect.” 7-6-2022.

Narrative Information

July 6, CNN: “Hours after gunfire interrupted the Highland Park, Illinois, July Fourth parade, killing seven people and wounding dozens more, police apprehended the man they believe was responsible. Robert “Bobby” E. Crimo III, 21, faces seven charges of first-degree murder in connection with the shooting, which authorities said he allegedly carried out by climbing onto the rooftop of a nearby business and opening fire minutes after the parade started, sending paradegoers and participants running for safety.

“Investigators believe the suspect planned ‘this attack for several weeks,’ Chris Covelli, spokes-person for the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force, said at one of several news conferences Tuesday. The suspect dressed in women’s clothing to help conceal his identity, Covelli said, blended in with the crowds as they fled the area, and went to his mother’s house.

“Law enforcement have yet to establish a motive, but Covelli said there has been no information to suggest the attack was ‘racially motivated, motivated by religion or any other protected status.’ There is no indication anyone else was involved, Covelli said. The suspect was taken into custody soon after police publicly identified him Monday as a ‘person of interest,’ whom the FBI said was ‘being sought for his alleged involvement in the shooting of multiple individuals’ at Highland Park’s Independence Day parade.

“The suspect took his mother’s vehicle, and a member of the community saw him, Covelli said. That individual called 911, and then North Chicago police conducted a traffic stop and took him into custody…..

“In September 2019, Highland Park Police went to Crimo’s home after a family member reported that he had said he was going to kill everyone, according to Covelli. ‘The threat was directed at family inside of the home,’ he said. Police confiscated a collection of bladed items — 16 knives, a dagger and a sword — but made no arrests because there were no signed complaints against Crimo. Highland Park Police notified state police about the visit. At the time, involuntary commitment wasn’t an option, Covelli said.

“The local police submitted a ‘Clear and Present Danger’ report about the visit to the Illinois State Police, the agency said. ‘The report indicates when police went to the home and asked the individual if he felt like harming himself or others, he responded no,’ state police said in a second statement. ‘Additionally and importantly, the father claimed the knives were his and they were being stored in the individual’s closet for safekeeping. Based upon that information, the Highland Park Police returned the knives to the father later that afternoon,’ state police added.

“State Police Master Sgt. Delilah Garcia said they looked at whether Crimo had a firearm owner’s identification (FOID) card that should have been revoked, but he had no card. n a news release, Illinois State Police officials said Crimo in December 2019 applied for a FOID card that was sponsored by his father. ‘The subject was under 21 (he was 19) and the application was sponsored by the subject’s father. Therefore, at the time of FOID application review in January of 2020, there was insufficient basis to establish a clear and present danger and deny the FOID application,’ state police said.

“In April 2019, local police went to the family home after receiving a report Crimo had tried to take his own life a week earlier. Officers spoke with him and his parents and were told mental health professionals were handling the matter, Covelli said.

“Covelli said later that the suspect bought five guns, including two rifles, after the September visit from police.

“The suspect legally purchased the weapon he used in Monday’s shooting, Covelli said Tuesday, describing it as a ‘high-powered rifle’ which shot high-velocity rounds. The weapon, which he described as ‘similar to an AR-15,’ was purchased locally, Covelli said, within the Chicagoland area.

“Investigators believe he fired more than 70 rounds over the course of the attack, Covelli said, and there is no indication the weapon was modified.

“Crimo also legally purchased a second rifle found in his vehicle at the time he was apprehended, as well as other guns recovered from his home, which Covelli described as pistols.

“Between June 2020 and September 2021, Crimo passed four background checks while purchasing firearms. Those background checks went through the Firearms Transaction Inquiry Program (FTIP), which includes the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, state police said in their statement. At the time, the only criminal offense included in Crimo’s history was a January 2016 ordinance violation for possession of tobacco, and no mental health prohibitor reports were submitted to state police by healthcare facilities or personnel, police said.

“Police in Highwood — the suspect’s hometown, just outside Highland Park — had no prior crime-related interactions with Crimo, according to Chief Dave Wentz. The only contact the department had with Crimo involved a noncriminal incident where Crimo was present when he was a juvenile, Wentz said. ‘We literally have nothing on him,’ Wentz said. ‘He was not potentially involved in anything.’

“The suspected shooter posted music on several major streaming platforms under the pseudonym Awake the Rapper, and he apparently made and posted music videos online featuring ominous lyrics and animated scenes of gun violence. In one video titled ‘Are you Awake,’ a cartoon animation of a stick-figure shooter resembling the suspect’s appearance is seen wearing tactical gear and carrying out an attack with a rifle. Crimo, seen with multicolored hair and face tattoos, narrates, ‘I need to just do it. It is my destiny.’ In another video titled ‘Toy Soldier,’ a similar stick-figure resembling the suspect is depicted lying face down on the floor in a pool of his own blood, surrounded by police officers with their guns drawn…. Several of the suspect’s online postings ‘reflected a plan and a desire to commit carnage for a long time in advance,’ Mayor Rotering said in an interview with NBC’s Hoda Kotb on Today….

“The suspect lived in an apartment behind a house in Highwood, owned by his father….

“To Paul Crimo’s [uncle] knowledge, his nephew did not have a job, he told CNN, though he worked at Panera Bread before the Covid-19 pandemic….

“The suspect’s father and Paul Crimo’s brother, Robert Crimo Jr., previously ran for mayor…”

Fatalities

Katherine Goldstein, 64, shot while running away.
Irina and Kevin McCarthy, parents of two-year old son, who survived.
Jacki Sundheim, 63.
Stephen Straus, 88.
Nicolas Toledo, 76, visiting family from home in Mexico.
Eduardo Uvaldo, 69, shot twice, died after being taken to Evanston Hospital.

(CNN. “These are the lives lost from the July Fourth parade mass shooting.” 4-6-2022.)

July 6, NBC News: “….Records showed Crimo purchased four weapons in 2020, the AR-15-style weapon used in Monday’s attack, a Kel-Tec sub-2000, a Remington 700 rifle and a shotgun, according to Covelli. Then in 2021, Crimo bought a Glock 43x pistol…” (NBC News. “Suspect confesses to Highland Park shooting and plotted second attack in Wisconsin, prosecutor says.” 7-6-2022.)

[Not knowing yet, how much was paid for these weapons (by someone without a job no less), we did a Google search and find that:

AR-15-style weapons Range in prices from low $500s to over $2,500.
[AR-15-style rifle later reported to be Smith & Wesson M&P15 semiautomatic (~$500)]
Kel-Tec sub-2000 rifles can be bought from just over $300 to just over $400.
Remington 700 rifles go for just over $700 to $1,400.
Glock 43x pistols are around $500 new.
A typical single-barrel (?) shotgun costs between $179 and $525.

Altogether it would seem that at least $2,000 would have been spent, possibly more.]

Sources

ABC News. “Highland Park parade shooter’s father says he is not culpable for son’s attack.” 7-7-2022. Accessed 7-7-2022 at: https://abcnews.go.com/US/highland-park-parade-shooters-father-culpable-sons-attack/story?id=86355888

Chicago Tribune. “Highland Park shooting victim touched countless lives with her work at synagogue.” 7-5-2022. Accessed 7-6-2022 at: https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-highland-park-shooting-victim-synagogue-20220705-ype6qyvywjcj7lj6pz34klxcma-story.html

CNN. “These are the lives lost from the July Fourth parade mass shooting.” 4-6-2022. Accessed 7-6-2022 at: https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/05/us/victims-highland-park-illinois-shooting-fourth-of-july/index.html

CNN (Dakin And one, Steve Almasy, Curt Devine). “What we know about the Highland Park shooting suspect.” 7-6-2022. Accessed 7-6-2022 at: https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/05/us/robert-e-crimo-highland-park-suspect/index.html

NBC News (Safia Samee Ale and David K. Li). “Suspect confesses to Highland Park shooting and plotted second attack in Wisconsin, prosecutor says.” 7-6-2022. Accessed 7-6-2022 at: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/highland-park-illinois-shooting-suspect-admits-role-july-fourth-attack-rcna36868

New York Times (Dan Simmons). “Highland Park Victim Was a Grandfather Who Hadn’t Wanted to Attend the Parade.” 7-4-2022. Accessed 7-6-2022 at: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/05/us/highland-park-nicolas-toledo.html

USA Today (John Bacon). “Parents of Highland Park suspect ‘1,000% cooperative,’ lawyer says; funeral begin Friday: Latest updates.” 7-7-2022. Accessed 7-7-2022 at: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/07/07/highland-park-shooting-live-updates-thursday/7828284001/