Who is Robert E. Crimo III? What we know about the suspected gunman in the Highland Park shooting

Hours after a gunman opened hearth on a suburban Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois, killing seven folks and wounding two dozen, police detained 21-year-old Robert Crimo III. Crimo, who is often known as Bobby, was charged Tuesday with seven counts of first-degree homicide. 

Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart mentioned Wednesday that Crimo admitted to finishing up the shooting. 

“His statement was voluntary. He was questioned in the Highland Park Police Department. He was read his Miranda warnings, offered attorneys, et cetera. He went into details about what he had done. He admitted to what he had done,” Rinehart mentioned.

Investigators say the gunman shot at parade-goers from a rooftop at round 10:15 a.m. as the neighborhood celebrated Independence Day. A high-powered rifle, “similar to an AR-15,” was recovered at the scene, police mentioned. The suspect was initially described as a younger White man with lengthy darkish hair.

Lake County Major Crime Task Force Deputy Chief Chris Covelli mentioned at a press convention Tuesday that investigators consider the suspect was disguised in girls’s clothes throughout the shooting “in attempt to conceal himself.”

Covelli mentioned investigators had been capable of determine Crimo by a mix of video and expedited tracing of the recovered rifle by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that linked it to the suspect.

After the shooting, he is believed to have blended into the crowd and gone to his mom’s house, finally driving away in a Honda Fit. 

Covelli mentioned he then drove as much as Madison, Wisconsin, and “seriously contemplated using the firearm he had in his vehicle to commit another shooting” at a celebration he noticed there, earlier than returning to the Chicago space.

He was taken into custody Monday night after somebody noticed the Honda Fit in a close-by suburb, referred to as 911, and police pulled him over. Another rifle was recovered from the automotive, Covelli mentioned, in addition to different firearms at his house. Covelli mentioned the weapons had been bought legally by Crimo in the Chicago area.

On Monday afternoon, police and FBI surrounded the household’s house in Highwood, simply north of Highland Park. Neighbors instructed CBS Chicago that Crimo lived there along with his father and uncle. His uncle mentioned Crimo stayed in an condominium in the again.

His father, a deli proprietor, ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Highland Park in 2019. 

Crimo’s uncle Paul instructed CBS Chicago he was “heartbroken” by the assault.

“I can’t even believe it right now. (I’m) praying for all the families and for everybody that got injured and hurt,” he mentioned.

 He additionally mentioned he hadn’t observed any indicators that his nephew may commit violence.

“There was no indication at all,” he instructed CBS Chicago. “There was no indication that I’ve seen at all that would lead up to this.”

But police later detailed two previous incidents when considerations had been raised.

“There have been some law enforcement contacts. Nothing of a violent nature,” Covelli mentioned Monday.

Covelli elaborated on these contacts in a briefing Tuesday afternoon. He mentioned in April 2019, a person contacted Highland Park Police after studying that Crimo had tried to commit suicide. Police responded to his house however the state of affairs was already being dealt with by psychological well being professionals and was not deemed a police matter at the time. 

In September 2019, a member of the family reported that the suspect mentioned he was going to “kill everyone.” Police responded to his residence and eliminated 16 knives, a dagger and a sword from the residence, however, Covelli mentioned, there was not possible trigger to arrest him. The Illinois State Police had been notified of the incident at the time.

Months after these incidents he was allowed to acquire a state firearms proprietor ID. His father signed a consent kind permitting him to purchase no less than one gun. 

Illinois does have a crimson flag legislation that enables for weapons to be taken away from somebody in misery, however the suspect didn’t personal weapons at the moment, and CBS News correspondent Kris Van Cleave experiences that the system doesn’t have a strategy to observe complaints about people who find themselves not already in that system.

CBS Chicago experiences that in late April there was a quick incident involving Crimo at the Central Avenue Synagogue, not removed from the scene of Monday’s assault. A person who works safety for the congregation mentioned he noticed Crimo stroll in throughout Saturday morning providers. Dressed in all black leather-based, carrying gloves and a backpack, he shortly acquired the consideration of the synagogue’s safety group.

“The thought did cross my mind that maybe he is just casing the place,” mentioned Marty Blumenthal, who mentioned he now thinks that is why the suspect was there.

Blumenthal mentioned a number of workers members checked Crimo’s bag for weapons, which he did not have, and he left after about 45 minutes.

Crimo additionally glided by the stage title Awake the Rapper and posted content material on-line that included violent imagery. On a now-deleted YouTube web page, a few of his movies featured his hometown, and others together with animated scenes of gun violence. In one video that depicts gun violence, he might be heard saying, “I need to leave now. I need to just do it. It is my destiny.”

Covelli mentioned investigators are “reviewing” these movies, however mentioned it is unclear why the shooting occurred.

“At this point we have not developed a motivation from him,” Covelli mentioned. 

Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering mentioned in an interview Tuesday on “CBS Mornings” that she knew Crimo as a baby.

“I was his Cub Scout pack leader. He was a little boy at the time. My heart breaks for everybody in this town,” Rotering mentioned. “I’m not sure what happened to him to compel him to commit this kind of evil in his hometown, but we have a city that is in deep mourning today and we are going to take a long time to heal from all of this.”