Police in Highland Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, report that six people are dead and another 26 are wounded following a mass shooting event that took place during a Fourth of July parade. The shooter has not yet been apprehended, but the murders were reportedly the act of a single individual firing from a rooftop into the crowd below. Initial descriptions are of a young white man with dark hair wearing a T-shirt, but even this description isn’t certain to be of the actual shooter. The weapon used was a semiautomatic rifle, though the specific type is yet to be identified.
In a press briefing, local police said they have no indication that the shooter is barricaded anywhere, or that he has taken any hostages. Though police have taken measures in an attempt to isolate the area, and a police helicopter was in the air shortly after the shootings, it’s unclear if the shooter is still present in the Highland Park area.
The parade route included a number of police on hand, but the shooter was operating from a distance and apparently fled the area before any officers could identify or detail him. Police on the scene report hearing two groups of shots—each containing about 15 shots in rapid succession.
Monday, Jul 4, 2022 · 9:30:12 PM +00:00 · April Siese
Dr. Brigham Temple with Highland Park Hospital said during a Monday evening press conference that 26 people were seen at the hospital, 25 of whom had gunshot wounds ranging in severity from minor to more severe. Nineteen individuals were treated and discharged. Several others arrived in more serious conditions and were admitted, one had to be transferred to Evanston Hospital, a couple of others were transferred to the Trauma Surgical Team, and some other patients were transferred to Orthopedic Trauma surgeons. The ages of those injured ranged from as young as 8 years old to as old as 85 years old.
Monday, Jul 4, 2022 · 9:56:09 PM +00:00 · April Siese
Authorities identified a person of interest they are seeking to apprehend in relation to the shooting. The person has been identified as Robert "Bobby" E. Crimo III, a 22-year-old who is believed to be driving a 2010 silver Honda Fit vehicle with an Illinois license plate that reads “DM80653.”
Highland Park is a wealthy suburb about 25 miles to the north of Chicago. According to the last census, the area is over 82% white, and the per capita income is three times the national average. However, the town is considered to be a highly Democratic area.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker stated that he will make all state resources available to assist the community, and Illinois state police and members of the Chicago Police Department have joined Highland Park Police and the Lake County Sheriff Department in conducting a search for the shooter. Members of the public in the area have been urged to stay indoors.
This shooting comes just days after the Supreme Court nullified the ability of states to regulate carrying weapons in public.
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