July 4 shooter planned attack for weeks, wore women’s clothing to escape, police say
- Suspect Robert Crimo, who has been charged with seven counts of first-degree murder, is thought to have done so to hide his facial tattoos and help him flee
- Police are still trying to establish a motive for the Independence Day attack, and are investigating disturbing content posted online by the alleged gunman
The suspected gunman who opened fire on a July 4 parade in a wealthy Chicago suburb planned the attack for weeks and wore women’s clothing to aid his escape, police said Tuesday.
Robert Crimo, 21, whose family lives in Highwood, just north of Highland Park, where the shooting occurred, was arrested on Monday after six people were killed and more than 30 wounded during an Independence Day parade.
The death toll rose to seven on Tuesday after one of the wounded victims died in hospital. Crimo was charged on Tuesday with seven counts of first-degree murder, prosecutors said.
Deputy police chief Christopher Covelli said no motive had been established for the attack, in which the gunman sprayed the crowd with dozens of semi-automatic rounds fired from a rooftop.
“We do believe Crimo pre-planned this attack for several weeks,” Covelli said. “He brought a high-powered rifle to this parade, he accessed the roof of a business via a fire escape ladder and began opening fire.”
“Crimo was dressed in women’s clothing and investigators believe he did this to conceal his facial tattoos and his identity and help him during the escape with the other people who were fleeing the chaos.”