Robert E. Crimo III, the person of interest in a mass shooting at a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Ill., was an aspiring rapper whose videos and social media posts showed violent and ominous images that often they glorified mass shootings and murders. Crimo, 21, was taken into custody Monday after an hours-long manhunt when police pulled him over after a brief car chase. Police have not said what specific information led them to Crimo, but Chris Covelli, a spokesman for the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force, told reporters Tuesday that police believe “Crimo planned this attack for several weeks.” Covelli also told reporters that Crimo dressed in women’s clothing to distract from his facial tattoos. “During the attack, Crimo was dressed in women’s clothing and investigators believe he did so to hide his facial tattoos and his identity and to aid him during his escape,” Covelli said of the 21-year-old under arrest. Story continues below ad 2:04 Accused Illinois gunman faces 7 counts of first-degree murder Accused Illinois gunman faces 7 counts of first-degree murder Police said the gunman’s attack came from a rooftop above the parade route, shooting into a crowd that had gathered to watch the Independence Day parade. Police believe the attacker used a ladder in an alley to climb onto the roof. “After the attack, Crimo came off the roof, dropped his rifle and blended into the crowd and escaped,” Covelli said. “He immediately stayed with everyone else as they ran almost as if he too was an innocent bystander.” From there, Covelli said, Crimo allegedly went to his mother’s house, borrowed her car and tried to get out of town.
Read more: Arrest made in shooting that kills 6, injures 30 at Chicago-area July 4th parade
Story continues below ad 0:39 ‘No information’ suggesting 4th of July parade was motivated by race, religion: police ‘No information’ suggesting 4th of July parade was motivated by race, religion: police Neighbors told CBS News that Crimo lives in a house with his father and uncle. As of this writing, he has yet to be formally charged in the shooting that left seven people dead and dozens more injured. Crimo, who goes by the name Bobby, was a rapper who went by the stage name Awake the Rapper, posting dozens of videos and songs on social media, some with threatening, dark language. Authorities released this photo of Highland Park, Illinois person of interest, Robert “Bobby” E. Crime III pic.twitter.com/H3JGMOOcny — Philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) July 4, 2022 Story continues below ad In an animated video that has since been removed from YouTube, Crimo raps about armies “walking in the dark” as a drawing of a man pointing to a rifle, a body on the ground and another figure with hands up in the distance is seen . A later frame shows a close-up of a chest with blood pouring out and another of police cars arriving as the attacker holds his hands up. In another video, in which Crimo appears in a classroom wearing a black bike helmet, he says he’s “like a sleepwalker — I know what I have to do,” then adds: “Everything has led to this. Nothing can stop me, not even myself.” Empty chairs sit along the sidewalk after marchers fled the Highland Park Fourth of July parade following a shooting, Monday, July 4, 2022, in Chicago. Lynn Sweet/Chicago Sun-Times via AP According to NBC News, the YouTube account that hosted his videos, which were previously accessible to the public, was down as of Monday night. Trending Stories
Jays coach’s daughter dies in tubing accident Patrick Brown has been ruled out of the race for the Conservative leadership
Story continues below ad After Monday’s shooting, 26 patients were sent to Highland Park Hospital with gunshot wounds, according to Dr. Bringham Temple, NorthShore University Health Center’s medical director of emergency preparedness. They range in age from eight to 85, he said, and include four or five children. Some are in critical condition, including a child, and 19 have been treated and released. NorthShore University HealthSystem said it treated 39 people at four of its hospitals after the shooting. Nine people, ranging in age from 14 to 70, remain in hospital on Tuesday. One patient, a 69-year-old man, was in critical condition from a gunshot wound. On Tuesday afternoon, authorities confirmed that another person had died, but details of the person’s age and name have not been released. Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering told CNN she believes the gun used by the suspected shooter was purchased legally. She said her office was waiting for authorities to file charges against “the individual.” Covelli also spoke on Tuesday, saying based on the information they have so far, it appears the rifle was purchased legally in Illinois. Highland Park Police are responding to an incident in downtown Highland Park. The fourth festival was cancelled. Avoid downtown Highland Park. More information will be shared as it becomes available. — Nancy Rotering (@NancyRotering) July 4, 2022 Story continues below ad In an interview with Today, Rotering said it appeared that several of the suspect’s online posts “reflected a plan and a desire to commit a massacre long in advance.”
Read more: Highland Park community in ‘incredible shock’ after fatal July 4 shooting
“And it’s one of those things where you step back and say, what happened? How did someone become so angry and hateful?’ he said. “To then put it on innocent people who were literally just having a family day?” NBC News reports that Crimo was active on Discord, an online application that allows users to send and share messages, media and files. According to the agency, Crimo hosted his own channel on the app, which featured a political board filled with “nihilistic political memes.” A Lake Forest, Ill., police officer walks down Central Avenue in Highland Park, Ill., Monday, July 4, 2022, after a shooting at the north suburb’s Fourth of July parade. Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune via The Canadian Press NBC News also reports that the suspect frequently posted on a server that shared graphic depictions of death, suicide and murder. Last week, in his last post before the shooting, he shared a video of a beheading. Story continues below ad Federal agents were reviewing Crimo’s online profiles, and a preliminary examination of his online history showed he had investigated mass murders and downloaded numerous photos depicting violent acts, including a beheading, a law enforcement official said. The official could not publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. 2:57 “This is a gun country”: Philadelphia mayor outraged after shooting near July 4th celebration “This is a gun country”: Philadelphia mayor outraged after shooting near July 4th celebration Rotering told Today that she did not believe Crimo had been connected to previous crimes or was known to police before the shooting. “Whether it’s Buffalo, New York, Uvalde, Texas or Highland Park, to me, it’s incredible that this is an accepted part of who we are as a nation,” Roettering said, referring to a recent series of mass shootings. in the USA Law enforcement investigate as they enter a building after a mass shooting at the Highland Park Fourth of July parade in downtown Highland Park, Ill., a suburb of Chicago on Monday, July 4, 2022. Nam Y. Huh / The Associated Press The suspect’s uncle, Paul Crimo, told CNN he did not believe his nephew had a job and last worked at Panera Bread before the pandemic. He described his nephew as a “lonely, quiet person” who “keeps everything to himself”. Story continues below ad Police have not suggested a possible motive for the attack.
Read more: Michigan police apologize for using photos of black men for target practice
In a statement about the shooting, US President Joe Biden said: “Jill and I are appalled by the senseless gun violence that has once again brought grief to an American community this Independence Day. As always, we are grateful for the first responders and law enforcement on the scene. “I will not give up on the fight against the epidemic of gun violence.” — With files from Eric Stober and Sean Boynton of Global News and The Associated Press 1:35 USA Senate moves closer to passing gun reform bill weeks after two shooting tragedies Previous Video Next Video © 2022…
