Highland Park Shooting: Fourth of July suspect Robert Crimo charged with seven murders
Steph Deschamps / July 6, 2022
The young man accused of opening fire during U.S. National Day celebrations in Highland Park, near Chicago, has been charged with seven counts of murder and could spend the rest of his life in prison, authorities announced Tuesday.
Robert Crimo, 21, could face dozens of other charges centered on each of the victims that will be detailed later, Lake County District Attorney Eric Rinehart said.
If convicted, he could face life in prison without parole, he said.
Planned for weeks, his attack was carried out with a high-powered rifle similar to an AR-15 to likely fire at random into the crowd attending the Fourth of July parade from the roof of a business, said Christopher Covelli, a police official.
Robert Crimo had dressed as a woman to hide his identity and may have worn a long-haired wig to hide his facial tattoos, he continued, adding that he then dropped his gun and blended in with the fleeing crowd.
The man, nicknamed Bobby, fired more than 70 shots, killing seven people and injuring at least 35, according to a police report Tuesday.
Among those killed were a couple, Irina and Kevin McCarthy, whose two-year-old son, Aiden, had been taken to safety by residents.