At least 6 killed in July 4th parade shooting
Police say at least six people have been killed and more than 20 injured in a shooting at a July 4th parade in suburban Chicago. (4th of July)
AP
HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. – A man arrested in connection with a deadly attack at a Chicago-area Fourth of July party that left six people dead appears to be an aspiring rapper who posts violent videos depicting disturbing acts of violence.
Authorities spent frantic hours Monday searching for Robert “Bobby” E. Crimo III and arrested him shortly before 7:00 p.m. local time after a short chase about five miles from the shooting. No charges were announced.
Authorities initially said Crimo was 22 years old, but an FBI bulletin and Crimo’s social media accounts said he was 21.
A North Chicago police officer spotted and briefly pursued Crimo in nearby Lake Forest, and “the subject was taken into custody without incident,” said Highland Park Police Chief Lou Jogmen. “It doesn’t necessarily mean it’s over, but we’re certainly encouraged that we have a guy that we’re interested in.”
Television news video showed a silver Honda Fit — which authorities say was driven by Crimo — stopped at an intersection with its doors open. Police said Crimo was possibly armed and dangerous
“This individual is believed to be responsible for what happened,” Lake County Major Crimes Task Force spokesman Christopher Covelli said in announcing Crimo’s arrest. Covelli said a “significant amount of digital evidence” helped investigators get to Crimo.
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Who is Robert Crimo?
Authorities said the gunman fired from a rooftop into the crowd around 10 a.m. and that they recovered a rifle from the scene. They initially did not call Crimo a suspect, instead describing him as a “person of interest,” but said the FBI was offering a reward for information.
A Chicago-based rapper of the same name and matching the description given by police, including facial tattoos, performs under the name “Awake the Rapper” and has previously posted on YouTube and other platforms numerous videos with images of violence, including a man shooting himself with gun on people.
Another video he posted shows a cartoon character carrying a rifle, who later lies face down in a pool of blood, surrounded by police. The same artist appears to have posted a photograph of a newspaper clipping on his bedroom wall commemorating the death of Lee Harvey Oswald, who assassinated President John F. Kennedy with a rifle from a high vantage point.
A two-story house listed as Crimo’s address was surrounded by law enforcement vehicles Monday night. Several police cars and at least one armored vehicle were stationed outside, and journalists were kept well away from the area. Neighbors said Crimo’s father, Bob Crimo, owned the nearby restaurant Bob’s Pantry & Deli.
Violent videos may be linked to man arrested in parade shooting
Violent videos that appeared to be linked to Crimo were removed from YouTube in the hours after the shooting. The account posting the videos has been suspended, but YouTube did not return USA TODAY’s request for comment about the channel.
In the video for Awake the Rapper’s song “Out of This World”, drawings depict a gunman wearing a tactical vest and carrying a semi-automatic rifle, bodies on the ground around him. As he takes aim, a faceless figure raises its arms in surrender. The shooter wears a helmet with what appears to be a Go-Pro style camera attached to it. Other images of seemingly tortured characters appear as the voice raps, “I just wanna scream. Sometimes I feel like I’m living a dream.”
In another video posted by the same account, the images come in quick cuts, scribbled drawings of faceless characters interspersed with clips of a young man sitting on a bed wearing a baseball cap. The painted images then transition to showing a character holding a semi-automatic rifle. Blood appears to flow from the chest of another faceless character.
A young man who looks like the same guy with the hat then appears in a new outfit. It’s in a classroom, with blackboards on the walls, a row of lockers and a television mounted high above the door. An American flag hangs from a pole and the man wears a helmet and tactical vest.
The fast-paced videos are repetitive, but the classroom scenes shift the perspective. One photo shows the room from his perspective – but it’s only wide enough for two sets of school-style desks side by side, in three rows, for a total of six desks. It is unclear whether the setting is a real school classroom or an elaborately staged set.
Then the helmeted figure is at the lockers. Then he appears without his tactical gear, just with a ball again. Then, back in tactical gear, he knelt over a pile of documents on the floor, clutching his eyes. In another shot, the helmeted figure sits at one of the desks while working on a sheet of notebook in front of him. A snake tattoo is visible on the back of his neck.
Contributing: Andrea Ball, Josh Sussong, USA TODAY; Associated Press
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