Lake County Sheriff's Workplace
Robert “Bobby” Crimo allegedly confessed to police that he “significantly contemplated” finishing up one other assault shortly after he “dressed up as a lady” and opened fireplace on the Highland Park Fourth of July parade, killing seven folks.
After a bond listening to on Wednesday, Lake County Sheriff’s Workplace Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli informed reporters that Crimo determined towards finishing up the second bloodbath at a July 4 celebration in Madison, Wisconsin, as a result of he “hadn’t put sufficient thought or analysis into” the opposite celebration.
Covelli mentioned authorities are nonetheless piecing collectively Crimo’s alleged motive however he famous that the 21-year-old “had some kind of affinity towards ‘4’ and ‘7’ and [the] inverse of ‘7,’ ‘4.’”
Through the bond listening to, Assistant State Legal professional Ben Dillon mentioned that Crimo admitted to utilizing three 30-round clips in his Smith and Wesson MNP 15 to assault parade-goers, stopping to reload twice. Afterward, Dillon added, Crimo informed investigators he fled the rooftop he used as a sniper’s nest however unintentionally left his rifle behind when it fell out of his bag.
That gun, prosecutors mentioned, was instrumental in figuring out Crimo, who's now being held with out bond on seven counts of first-degree homicide.
Showing in court docket by way of Zoom and carrying a black shirt, Crimo remained fully nonetheless throughout Wednesday’s listening to as prosecutors described how the lethal assault unfolded, together with the steps that he took to hide his id.
In a voluntary assertion confessing to the assault, Crimo mentioned he “dressed up like a lady and lined his tattoos with make-up as a result of folks acknowledged him,” Dillon mentioned. Because the parade was underway, prosecutors mentioned, Crimo allegedly “accessed the roof of a enterprise by way of a hearth escape ladder and commenced opening fireplace on the harmless Independence Day celebration goers.”
The gun used was legally obtained in 2020. Illinois State Police informed The Day by day Beast that Crimo’s father sponsored his son’s firearms allow utility simply months after Crimo allegedly tried suicide, talked about “killing all people,” and had 16 knives, a dagger, and a sword taken from his house.
Authorities say that, after the Highland Park assault, Crimo went to his mom’s home and borrowed her automobile. He then drove to Madison, Wisconsin, the place he allegedly noticed one other celebration underway and “significantly contemplated” utilizing his leftover 60 rounds, Covelli mentioned, including that Crimo then dumped his cellphone in Middleton, Wisconsin.
About seven hours later, a North Chicago police officer noticed the automobile Crimo was believed to be driving. The 21-year-old took flight, however was arrested after a quick pursuit in Lake Forest. Contained in the automobile, police mentioned they discovered a second legally bought rifle.
The brand new allegations about Crimo’s grisly mindset, and the prolonged preparation he put into the assault, come after police revealed they’d had earlier run-ins with him. On Tuesday, authorities confirmed a Sept. 2019 incident during which Crimo allegedly threatened to “kill everybody” on this household whereas hoarding 16 knives, a dagger, and a sword. He had additionally tried suicide that April, police mentioned.
Neither home name resulted in an arrest, which can have made it simpler for him to legally buy the weapons cops say he used to kill harmless folks.
As The Day by day Beast beforehand reported, a evaluate of Crimo’s social-media posts, on-line discourse, and music movies below the alias Awake the Rapper showcase obsessions with violent imagery, mass shootings, and high-profile murderers.
“There have been numerous pink flags with him,” one former Highland Park Excessive College classmate informed The Day by day Beast. “I informed my instructor I didn’t need to sit subsequent to him. He actually scared me.”