Christopher BergBy Sandy Malone and Christopher Berg
Highland Park, IL – Authorities have named 22-year-old Robert “Bobby” E. Crimo III as an armed and dangerous person of interest after six people were killed and at least 24 more were wounded on Monday during a 4th of July parade.
UPDATE: Crimo was taken into custody “without incident” after a short chase, according to USA Today.
Crimo is believed to be driving a silver 2010 Honda Fit with Illinois plate DM80653. Crimo is described as a white male with longer black hair and a slim build; his photos show visible tattoos.
He should be considered armed and dangerous and should not be approached.
#BREAKING: Police release photo (1st image) of Highland Park July 4th parade mass shooting suspect Robert “Bobby” E. Crimo III.
The 22-year-old also allegedly goes by a rap name: Bobby Crimo (Awake The Rapper) (photos 2-4). pic.twitter.com/nD6OPUrRS1
— Eric Cox (@EricCoxTV) July 4, 2022
Highland Park Police Commander Chris O’Neill has urged people to shelter-in-place in the area because police are still searching for the killer, the Associated Press reported.
Commander O’Neill said the incident began at about 10:15 a.m. on July 4, when the Highland Park July Fourth parade was about three-quarters of the way through the route.
Lake County Major Crime Task Force Spokesman Christopher Covelli said it appeared that the gunman had opened fire on the crowd of onlookers watching the parade from a rooftop using a “high-powered rifle” that police recovered at the scene, the Associated Press reported.
Covelli said he didn’t know on which building the rifle had been recovered.
6 dead, 31 hospitalized after a domestic terrorist opens fire during a Highland Park, IL July 4th Parade. A scene for celebration becomes the scene of a tragedy. The IL legislature must call for a Special Session. Out of time. Get tough on crime. pic.twitter.com/nkJqRCGyZh
— Mark Vargas (@MarkAVargas) July 4, 2022
Police believe there was only one gunman and reminded residents that the shooter should still be considered armed and dangerous, the Associated Press reported.
“He could be in the city, he could be somewhere else,” Covelli said.
MANHUNT FOR HIGHLAND PARK SHOOTER:
– White male
– Approx. 18-20-years-old
– Long black hair
– Small build
– White or blue T-shirt— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) July 4, 2022
Zoe Nicole Pawelczak told ABC News that when she heard the gunshots at the parade, she grabbed her dad and started running through the crowd.
“I saw multiple people slaughtered,” Pawelczak said.
“Everybody is crying,” she continued. “We ended up making it behind a corner and we hid behind a dumpster. This man was there with his two very young children and he had put them in the dumpster for safety.”
She said the man asked her to watch his kids while he went searching for his other son, ABC News reported.
“So I watched his kids for him,” Pawelczak said. “They were like, ‘What’s going on?’ And I was like, ‘It’s just fireworks, it’s OK,’ just trying to keep them calm.”
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker released a statement calling the mass shooting in Highland Park “evil” that was perpetrated by a “monster.”
— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) July 4, 2022
Witnesses said the gunfire erupted about 10 minutes after the parade kicked off on July 4, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
“I heard 20 to 25 shots, which were in rapid succession. So it couldn’t have been just a handgun or a shotgun,” Highland Park resident Miles Zaremski said.
Police were searching the area but the gunman has not yet been apprehended, WLS reported.
Some witnesses said it seemed like the shots were coming from atop a building but police have not yet released any information about the incident.
There were abandoned strollers, chairs, flags, and other items strewn through the street and sidewalks, left behind as the owners fled in terror, and some small children were separated from their parents in the melee.
Do you know this child? A Highland Park chef says the child is safe but with strangers after the shooting. Please email bmerel@yahoo.com if you know the child so he can be reunited with family @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/nJleL26qZY
— Jackie Kostek (@JackieKostek) July 4, 2022
Another shot from the Highland Park mass shooting.
Hadn’t seen this clip on here.
Sounds like nearly 60 shots fired in this one alone. pic.twitter.com/X66gqEiGHD— Jake (@SiIentRunning) July 4, 2022
Terrifying videos showed the chaos that erupted as multiple gunshots rang out.
A white male suspect (who is STILL at large) aged between 18-20, shot from a roof during the Highland Park 4th of July Parade, and killed 6 ppl, injuring dozens.
If police would focus on THESE potential shooters instead of ambushing innocent Black ppl, this wouldn’t happen pic.twitter.com/2QhNURdIrU
— Tariq Nasheed 🇺🇸 (@tariqnasheed) July 4, 2022
Police have not yet identified any of the people who were killed in the parade shooting, nor have they released the identities or the medical conditions of those who were wounded, but some family members of the dead have begun to post pictures to social media.
The family of Nicolas Toledo tells me he was one of the people shot and killed at the Highland Park 4th of July Parade. “We are all feeling pretty numb. We’re all pretty broken inside,” his granddaughter said. She shared these photos with @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/rDtiq5ijrL
— Tim McNicholas (@TimMcNicholas) July 4, 2022
This is a developing story and we will keep you updated. For all of our updates, follow us on Facebook and go to your news feed preferences under your settings, then select that you want to see more of The Police Tribune’s posts in your news feed. Otherwise, Facebook may not show you updates.
Holly Matkin
