Chicago’s July 4th parade death toll rises to seven

A gunman who attacked an Independence Day parade in suburban Chicago fired more than 70 rounds from an AR-15, killing at least seven people, then evaded initial capture by dressing as a woman and blending into the fleeing crowd. .

A spokesperson for the Lake County Serious Crimes Task Force told a news conference that the alleged shooter, who was arrested Monday night, used a high-powered rifle “similar to an AR-15” to fire bullets in the crowd from the top of an office building. who gathered for the parade in Highland Park, a tight-knit community on the shores of Lake Michigan that has long attracted the rich and sometimes famous.

More than 30 people were injured in the attack, including one who died on Tuesday, task force spokesman Christopher Coveley said.

Investigators who questioned the suspect and reviewed his social media posts did not determine a motive for the attack and found no indication that he targeted anyone based on race, religion or other protected status, Coveley said.

The gunman spent weeks planning the attack, Covelli said.

Authorities have not filed criminal charges.

Later that day, FBI agents searched garbage cans and under picnic blankets while looking for other evidence at the spot where the gunman opened fire. The images were initially mistaken for fireworks before hundreds of onlookers fled in terror.

A day later, strollers, lawn chairs and other items left behind by panicked parade participants were left behind at a large police perimeter. Behind the police tape, some neighbors walked by with blankets and chairs they had left behind.

David Shapiro, 47, said the gunfire quickly turned the parade into “chaos”.

“People didn’t immediately know where the shots were coming from, whether the shooter was in front of you or behind you and chasing you,” she said Tuesday, as she grabbed a cart and chairs.

The shooting was the latest to disrupt the rituals of American life. Schools, churches, supermarkets and now community parades have become death camps in recent months. This time, the bloodshed came as the nation tried to find a reason to celebrate its founding and connections.

“It definitely gets a lot stronger when it’s not just your hometown, but it’s right in front of you,” said resident Ron Tuazon, as he and a friend returned to the parade route on Monday night to collect chairs, blankets and blankets. and a children’s bicycle. . The family was abandoned when the shooting started.

“It’s common now,” Tuazon said. “We don’t blink anymore. Until the laws change, it will be more of the same.”

Officer Robert E. Crimo III was shot north of the shooting scene hours after police released a photo of him and warned he was armed and dangerous, Highland Park Police Chief Lou Jogman said.

Authorities initially said Crimo, whose father once ran for mayor of Highland Park, was 22, but an FBI bulletin and Crimo’s social media accounts said he was 21.

The shooting took place along the parade route, where many residents saw the main sights earlier in the day.

Among them was Nicholas Toledo, who was visiting family in Illinois, Mexico. He was shot and died at the scene, his grandson, Khochil Toledo, told the Chicago Sun-Times. Also dead is Jackie Sundheim, a longtime parishioner and “beloved” worker for the neighboring North Bank congregation in Israel, who announced her death on a website.

Police did not release details about the victims, but Toledo’s grandson told the Sun-Times that Toledo lived most of his life in Moros, Mexico. Xochil Toledo said she remembers looking at her grandfather, who was in his 70s, as the group passed them.

“I was very happy,” he said. “I am happy to live in the moment.”

Xochil Toledo said her father tried to protect her grandfather and was shot in the arm. His girlfriend was also shot in the back and taken to hospital.

Sundheim spent decades on staff at the Congregation of Israel in the North Bank, teaching the congregation’s preschool and then coordinating events, “all with tireless dedication,” the congregation said in a statement announcing his death.

“Jack’s hard work, kindness and warmth touched us all,” the statement said.

The NorthShore University Health System said 39 people were being treated at its four hospitals after the shooting. Nine people, ages 14 to 70, remained hospitalized on Tuesday. One patient, a 69-year-old male, is in critical condition with a gunshot wound.

According to the Associated Press/USA TODAY/Northeastern University Mass Homicide Database, the US has seen 15 shootings that have killed four or more people since the start of the year, including in Highland Park.

Eight people died and 60 were injured near Chicago over the July 4th weekend.

Highland Park Police Chief Chris O’Neill said the shooter likely fired from the roof, where it was very difficult to see. He said the weapon was seized at the scene. Police also found a ladder attached to the building.

Covelli said Crimo legally purchased the gun in Illinois last year.

In 2013, Highland Park officials passed a ban on assault weapons and ammunition magazines with more than 10 rounds. A local doctor and the Illinois State Rifle Association were quick to challenge the suburban liberal position. The legal battle ended in the US Supreme Court in 2015 when judges refused to hear the case and suburban restrictions were maintained.

Crimo, also known as Bobby, was an aspiring rapper under the stage name Awake the Rapper who posted dozens of videos and songs, some sinister and violent, on social media.

In an animated video, which YouTube has since removed, Crimo talks about troops “walking in the dark”, with what appears to be a painting of a man shooting a rifle, a body on the ground and another figure with arms outstretched. .

Federal agents were reviewing Crimo’s online profiles, and a preliminary examination of his Internet history showed that he had investigated mass murders and had downloaded several photos of violent acts, including beheadings, a law enforcement official said.

The official could not publicly discuss the details of the investigation and spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

Crimo’s father Bobby, a longtime deli owner, is running for mayor in 2019 and calls himself “a man for the people”.

The community of about 30,000 on Chicago’s affluent North Shore boasts mansions and sprawling lakefront estates and was once home to NBA legend Michael Jordan.

Shapiro, a Highland Park resident who led the parade with her family, said her 2-year-old son woke up screaming that night.

“He is too young to understand what happened. But he knows something bad has happened,” Shapiro said. “It’s creepy.”

This story was first published on July 4 at 11:16 am