The shooter who allegedly opened hearth on the Highland Park Fourth of July parade was dressed in women’s outfits to disguise himself and support his escape — then ran house to his mother, police reported Tuesday.
Robert E. “Bobby” Crimo III, 21, is accused of killing seven harmless parade-goers and injuring much more than 40 many others just after he allegedly climbed onto the roof of a business in the rich Chicago suburb on Monday and fired off 70 rounds from a substantial-powered AR-15-design rifle.
He then wrapped the legally purchased weapon in a crimson blanket and ditched it powering the developing so he could blend in with the group as he fled throughout the chaos, authorities reported.
“Crimo was dressed in women’s garments and investigators do feel he did this to conceal his facial tattoos and his identity,” Lake County Main Crime Task Power spokesman Christopher Covelli explained to a news briefing. “He was seen on video clip digicam in women’s outfits.”
He may have even donned a hairpiece to full his disguise, authorities mentioned.
“A wig is not out of the question,” Covelli claimed.
The twisted address was designed to make it surface “almost as if he was an innocent spectator himself,’’ Covelli stated. “He wore that in an attempt to conceal himself.’’
Crimo, an novice rapper, straight away went to his mother’s property nearby and “borrowed” her vehicle to flee, authorities explained. There was no sign he explained to his mom what he’d just completed, Covelli added.
He remained on the loose for hrs just after the mass shooting but was nabbed by law enforcement Monday night — about 5 miles from the scene — when a bystander spotted his car or truck and alerted 911.
Cops discovered a different rifle in the suspect’s automobile and three firearms — “some pistols and probable a shotgun” — in his apartment in nearby Highwood following he was sooner or later taken into custody, authorities said.
Authorities said Crimo experienced acquired the weapons regionally and legally in 2020 and 2021 — irrespective of cops currently being identified as to his dwelling two times in 2019 soon after he threatened suicide and to “kill everyone” in his relatives.
When cops responded to the suspect’s home in September 2019, officers seized 16 knives, a dagger and a sword, but mentioned there was no indicator he had any guns at the time.
The weapon made use of in the parade massacre was “similar to an AR-15” that shot “high velocity rounds,” Covelli said.
No costs have however been submitted in opposition to Crimo but an update was predicted Tuesday afternoon, authorities reported.
“We do think Crimo pre-planned this assault for numerous months,” Covelli said, introducing that investigators were being even now attempting to identify a motive.
“Investigators … have been in conversations with him. I never have nearly anything to say about enthusiasm thus much since it has not been supplied.”
“We have no sign to propose at this issue that it was racially motivated, enthusiastic by religion,” Covelli included.
Authorities are reviewing disturbing social media posts Crimo had posted on the internet.
Highland Park citizens instructed CNN they quickly identified Crimo when cops first introduced his photograph mainly because of his distinct tattoos and coloured hair.
Eric Januszewski claimed he experienced not long ago operate into Crimo and commented that his facial tattoos had been “quite a dedication.”
Crimo agreed and explained to Januszewski to verify out his SoundCloud account, he said.
Supplemental reporting by Katie Donlevy
