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Highland Park 4th of July shooting person of interest: Who is Robert Crimo? (q13fox.com)
"Robert Crimo III was taken into custody Monday evening in Lake Forest, Illinois, about eight hours after a mass shooting during a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park. Crimo has been named as a person of interest in that attack that left six people dead and dozens more wounded.
A gunman on a rooftop opened fire on an Independence Day parade in suburban Chicago on Monday, killing at least six people, wounding at least 30 and sending hundreds of marchers, parents with strollers and children on bicycles fleeing in terror, police said.
A police officer pulled over Robert E. Crimo III about five miles north of the shooting scene, several hours after police released the man's photo and an image of his silver Honda Fit, and warned the public that he was likely armed and dangerous, Highland Park Police Chief Lou Jogmen said.
Police declined to immediately identify Crimo as a suspect but said identifying him as a person of interest, sharing his name and other information publicly was a serious step. Authorities initially said he was 22, but an FBI bulletin and Crimo's social media said he was 21.
The July 4 shooting was just the latest to shatter the rituals of American life. Schools, churches, grocery stores and now community parades have all become killing grounds in recent months. This time, the bloodshed came as the nation tried to find cause to celebrate its founding and the bonds that still hold it together.
"It is devastating that a celebration of America was ripped apart by our uniquely American plague," Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said at a news conference.
"I’m furious because it does not have to be this way... while we celebrate the Fourth of July just once a year, mass shootings have become a weekly — yes, weekly — American tradition."HIGHLAND PARK, IL - JULY 04: First responders work the scene of a shooting at a Fourth of July parade on July 4, 2022 in Highland Park, Illinois. (Photo by Jim Vondruska/Getty Images)
Illinois parade shooting suspect: Everything we know
An FBI wanted poster describes Robert E. Crimo III as a thin White male with brown eyes and neck-length brown hair, weighing 120 pounds. The poster also describes his tattoos: "four tally marks with a line through them on his right cheek, red roses and green leaves on his neck, and cursive script above his left eyebrow."
The poster describes him as "armed and dangerous."
Crimo is also known as "Awake the Rapper."
According to his IMDB page, Crimo is a "six foot Hip hop phenom" born on Sept. 20, 2000. "He's the middle child of three and of Italian descent."
Crimo began uploading his music to the internet at age 11, but first gained traction with his 2016 track "By The Pond" featuring Atlas, according to IMDB.
Crimo is the son of Bob Crimo, president at Bob's Pantry & Deli in Highland Park. According to his Facebook account, the father ran for Highland Park mayor in 2020.
The rapper released a cryptic track called "Are You Awake" on Oct. 15, 2021. The track appears to suggest that Crimo was planning a life-defining act beyond his ability to stop. The video includes drawings of a man aiming a rifle at another person.
‘Very random, very intentional’
The shooting occurred at a spot on the parade route where many residents had staked out prime viewing points early in the day for the annual celebration. Dozens of fired bullets sent hundreds of parade-goers — some visibly bloodied — fleeing. They left a trail of abandoned items that showed everyday life suddenly, violently disrupted: A half-eaten bag of potato chips; a box of chocolate cookies spilled onto the grass; a child’s Chicago Cubs cap.
"There’s no safe place," said Highland Park resident Barbara Harte, 73, who had stayed away from the parade fearing a mass shooting, but later ventured from her home.
Lake County Major Crime Task Force spokesman Christopher Covelli said at a news conference "several of the deceased victims" died at the scene and one was taken to a hospital and died there. Police have not released details about the victims or wounded.
Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek said the five people killed at the parade were adults, but didn’t have information on the sixth victim who was taken to a hospital and died there. One of those killed was a Mexican national, Roberto Velasco, Mexico’s director for North American affairs, said on Twitter Monday. He said two other Mexicans were wounded.
NorthShore University Health Center received 26 patients after the attack. All but one had gunshot wounds, said Dr. Brigham Temple, medical director of emergency preparedness. Their ages ranged from 8 to 85, and Temple estimated that four or five patients were children.
Temple said 19 of them were treated and discharged. Others were transferred to other hospitals, while two patients, in stable condition, remained at the Highland Park hospital.
The shooter opened fire around 10:15 a.m., when the parade was about three-quarters through, authorities said.
Highland Park Police Commander Chris O’Neill, the incident commander on scene, said the gunman apparently used a "high-powered rifle" to fire from a spot atop a commercial building where he was "very difficult to see." He said the rifle was recovered at the scene. Police also found a ladder attached to the building.
"Very random, very intentional and a very sad day," Covelli said.
More than 100 law enforcement officers were called to the parade scene or dispatched to find the suspected shooter.
Highland Park is a close-knit community of about 30,000 people located on the shores of Lake Michigan just north of Chicago, with mansions and sprawling lakeside estates that have long drawn the rich and sometimes famous, including NBA legend Michael Jordan, who lived in the city for years when he played for the Chicago Bulls. John Hughes filmed parts of several movies in the city, including "Ferris Bueller’s Day Off," "Sixteen Candles" and "Weird Science."
