Robert E. Crimo III, 21, faces seven counts of first-degree murder “for the killing spree he unleashed on our community,” Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said at a news conference Tuesday. A conviction would carry a sentence of life in prison without parole, he said. “These are just the first of many charges that will be brought against Mr. Krimo. I want to emphasize that,” Rinehart said, and prosecutors will ask a judge to deny bail. The suspect, authorities said, opened fire from the roof of a building in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park as the parade began shortly after 10 a.m. Monday. More than 70 high-velocity bullets were fired from a rifle “similar to an AR-15,” according to Lake County Major Crimes Task Force spokesman Chris Covelli, and the gunman then fled the area. Five of the people shot at the parade were pronounced dead at the scene, officials said, and two people who were hospitalized succumbed to their injuries. A total of 39 patients were taken to medical facilities “by ambulance or other means,” according to Jim Anthony of NorthShore University Health System, and nine patients — whose ages range from 14 to 70 — remain hospitalized due to their health System from Tuesday afternoon. Crimo reportedly had another rifle in his vehicle when he was recovered by police hours after the shooting, Covelli said, and other firearms were recovered from his residence in nearby Highwood. Crimo is believed by authorities to have been planning the attack for weeks, and the rifle used appears to have been purchased legally in Illinois, he said. However, information released by state and local police indicates the suspect has previously required police intervention for threats of violence and mental health concerns.
The suspect had previous contact with the police and was legally in possession of weapons
Crimo had two run-ins with police in 2019 over fears for his safety and that of others, information that prompted the city’s mayor to question how Crimo was later able to legally obtain firearms. The Highland Park Police Department received a report in April 2019 that Crimo had previously attempted suicide, Covelli said Tuesday. Police spoke with Crimo and his parents and the matter was addressed by mental health professionals, he said. In September of that year, a family member reported that Crimo threatened to “kill everyone” and had a collection of knives, Covelli said. The police removed 16 knives, a dagger and a sword from their residence. Highland Park police reported the incident to the Illinois State Police, who said in a news release Tuesday that family members were unwilling to press additional charges. The knives seized by Highland Park police were returned the same day after Crimo’s father claimed they were his, ISP said. Over the next two years, Crimo legally purchased five firearms, according to Covelli — a combination of rifles, a handgun and possibly a shotgun. ISP confirmed Tuesday that Crimo passed four background checks between June 2020 and September 2021 when purchasing firearms, which included checks by the federal National Criminal Background Check System. To purchase firearms in Illinois, individuals need a Firearm Owner Identification Card (FOID). Crimo was under 21, so his father sponsored him, state police said. Crimo’s application was not denied because there was no “sufficient basis to establish a clear and present danger” at the time. The only felony on Crimo’s criminal history was a January 2016 ordinance violation for possession of tobacco, according to police, which occurred when he was a juvenile. Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering — who said she knew the suspect as a boy in the Cub Scouts — said she is “looking forward to an explanation” of how Crimo was able to obtain firearms, saying Highland Park police filed the necessary references. “We know that in other countries people suffer from mental illness, they suffer from anger, maybe they play violent video games, but they can’t get their hands on these weapons of war and they can’t get their hands on this kind of carnage. This has to stop,” the mayor told CNN’s Anderson Cooper on Tuesday, noting that the state has “red flag” laws but that people should speak up if they see warning signs from people. Investigators are working to determine the motive. One detail that did emerge about Crimo was that he was present at an April Easter service at the Central Avenue Synagogue in Highland Park, according to a church official. “He didn’t look familiar” and left on his own, the official told CNN. Currently, officials “have no information to indicate that it was racially motivated, religiously motivated or any other protected status at this time,” Covelli said.
6 of the victims identified by officials
On Tuesday, authorities identified six of the seven victims killed in the shooting:
Katherine Goldstein, 64, of Highland Park 35-year-old Irina McCarthy of Highland Park 37-year-old Kevin McCarthy of Highland Park Jacquelyn Sundheim, 63, of Highland Park 88-year-old Stephen Straus of Highland Park 78-year-old Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza from Morelos, Mexico
A seventh victim died at a hospital outside Lake County, Coroner Jennifer Banek said. One of those injured in the shooting is Eduardo Uvaldo, a 69-year-old man who was taken from his own life and is fighting for his life at an Evanston hospital, his daughter told CNN on Tuesday. “The doctors said there’s nothing they can do,” Karina Uvaldo-Mendez said, but added that her father was still breathing on his own. “We need everyone to keep us in their prayers.” Uvaldo was shot in the arm and then in the back of the head, according to a verified GoFundMe campaign. His wife and grandson were also injured, Uvaldo-Mendez said. He tended to avoid parades because he doesn’t like crowds, he said — but he liked the one in Highland Park and was the only one he attended every year. CNN’s Taylor Romine, Rebekah Riess, Joe Sutton, Adrienne Broaddus, Sara Smart, Sharif Paget, Laura Klairmont, Ashley Killough, Jason Kravarik, Alisha Ebrahimji, Amir Vera, Steve Almasy, Jason Hanna, Eric Levenson, Helen Regan also contributed the report.
title: “Highland Park Parade Shooting Suspect To Appear In Court As Questions Mount Over How He Legally Obtained Firearms " ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-26” author: “David Wiren”
“These are just the first of many charges that will be brought against Mr. Krimo. I want to emphasize that,” Rinehart said, and prosecutors will ask a judge to deny bail. The suspect, authorities said, opened fire from a rooftop in Highland Park as the parade began shortly after 10 a.m. Monday. More than 70 high-velocity bullets were fired from a rifle “similar to an AR-15,” Lake County Major Crimes Task Force spokesman Chris Covelli said. Crimo dressed in women’s clothing, investigators believe, to hide his identity. He left the roof and joined the fleeing crowd to escape the area, Coveli said. Five of the people shot at the parade were pronounced dead at the scene, officials said, and two people who were treated for injuries succumbed to their injuries. A total of 39 patients were transported to medical facilities “by ambulance or other means,” according to Jim Anthony with NorthShore University Health System, and nine patients — whose ages ranged from 14 to 70 — remained hospitalized as of Tuesday afternoon. Crimo reportedly had another rifle in his vehicle when he was recovered by police hours after the shooting, Covelli said, and other firearms were recovered from his residence in nearby Highwood. Crimo is believed by authorities to have been planning the attack for weeks, and the rifle used appears to have been purchased legally in Illinois, he said. However, information released by state and local police indicates the suspect has previously required police intervention for threats of violence and mental health concerns. Full coverage of the filming of Highland Park
The suspect had previous contact with the police
Crimo had two run-ins with police in 2019 over fears for his safety and that of others, information that prompted Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering to question how Crimo was later able to legally obtain firearms. The Highland Park Police Department received a report in April 2019 that Crimo had previously attempted suicide, Covelli said Tuesday. Police spoke with Crimo and his parents and the matter was addressed by mental health professionals, he said. In September of that year, a family member reported that Crimo threatened to “kill everyone” and had a collection of knives, Covelli said. The police removed 16 knives, a dagger and a sword from their residence. Highland Park police filed a “Clear and Present Danger” report about the visit with Illinois State Police, the state agency said. Family members were unwilling to file additional charges, state police said in a news release Tuesday. The knives seized by Highland Park police were returned the same day after Crimo’s father claimed they were his, state police said. Over the next two years, Crimo legally purchased five firearms, according to Covelli — including rifles, a handgun and possibly a shotgun. State police confirmed Tuesday that Crimo passed four background checks between June 2020 and September 2021 when purchasing firearms, which included federal National Instant Criminal Background Check System checks. To purchase firearms in Illinois, people need a Firearm Owner Identification Card (FOID). Crimo was under 21, so his father sponsored him, state police said. Crimo’s application was not denied because there was no “sufficient basis to establish a clear and present danger” at the time. The only felony on Crimo’s criminal history was a January 2016 ordinance violation for possession of tobacco, according to police, which occurred when he was a juvenile. Mayor Rotering — who said she knew the suspect as a boy in a Cub Scouts group she led — said she is “looking forward to an explanation” of how Crimo was able to obtain firearms, saying Highland Park police had file necessary reports. “We know that in other countries people suffer from mental illness, they suffer from anger, maybe they play violent video games, but they can’t get their hands on these weapons of war and they can’t get their hands on this kind of carnage. This has to stop,” the mayor told CNN’s Anderson Cooper on Tuesday, noting that the state has “red flag” laws but adding that people should speak up if they see warning signs. Investigators are working to determine the motive. One detail that did emerge about Crimo was that he was present at an April Easter service at the Central Avenue Synagogue in Highland Park, according to a church official. “He didn’t look familiar” and left on his own, the official told CNN. Currently, officials “have no information to indicate that it was racially motivated, religiously motivated or any other protected status at this time,” Covelli said.
6 of the victims identified by officials
On Tuesday, authorities identified six of the seven victims killed in the shooting: • Katherine Goldstein, 64, of Highland Park • Irina McCarthy, 35, of Highland Park • Kevin McCarthy, 37, of Highland Park • Jacquelyn Sundheim, 63, of Highland Park • Stephen Straus, 88, of Highland Park • 78-year-old Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza of Morelos, Mexico A seventh victim died at a hospital outside Lake County, Coroner Jennifer Banek said. One of those injured in the shooting is Eduardo Uvaldo, a 69-year-old man who was taken from his own life and is fighting for his life at an Evanston hospital, his daughter told CNN on Tuesday. “The doctors said there’s nothing they can do,” Karina Uvaldo-Mendez said, but added that her father was still breathing on his own. “We need everyone to keep us in their prayers.” Uvaldo was shot in the arm and then in the back of the head, according to a verified GoFundMe campaign. His wife and grandson were also injured, Uvaldo-Mendez said. He tended to avoid parades because he doesn’t like crowds, he said — but he liked the one in Highland Park and was the only one he attended every year. CNN’s Taylor Romine, Rebekah Riess, Joe Sutton, Adrienne Broaddus, Sara Smart, Sharif Paget, Laura Klairmont, Ashley Killough, Jason Kravarik, Alisha Ebrahimji, Amir Vera, Steve Almasy, Jason Hanna, Eric Levenson, Helen Regan also contributed the report.
