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Robert E. Crimo III: What we know about Highland Park shooting suspect

Robert “Bobby” E. Crimo III, 21, faces seven counts of first-degree murder in connection with the shooting, which authorities say he carried out by climbing onto the roof of a nearby business and opening fire minutes after the parade began, dispatch for parade goers and participants to run for safety.

Investigators believe the suspect had been planning “this attack for several weeks,” Chris Covelli, a spokesman for the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force, said at one of several news conferences Tuesday. The suspect, dressed in women’s clothing to conceal his identity, Covelli said, blended into the crowds as they fled the area and went to his mother’s house.

Law enforcement has not yet determined a motive, but Covelli said there was no information to suggest the attack was “racially motivated, motivated by religion or any other protected status.” There was no indication that anyone else was involved, Covelli said.

The suspect took his mother’s vehicle and a member of the community saw him, Covelli said. That man called 911, after which North Chicago police conducted a traffic stop and arrested him.

He is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday, and Eric Rinehart, the Lake County state’s attorney, said he will ask a judge to keep Crimo held without bail. Rinehart said “dozens of other charges” would be added later. Attorney Thomas Durkin is representing Crimo, he confirmed to CNN.

Attorney Steve Greenberg said Tuesday he was representing Crimo’s parents and released a statement attributed to them.

“We are all mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers and this is a terrible tragedy for many families, the victims, the parade goers, the community and our own,” the statement said. “Our hearts, thoughts and prayers go out to everyone.”

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Here’s what we know about the suspect:

Officers took knives from the home after Crimo said he was going to kill people

In September 2019, Highland Park police went to Crimo’s home after a family member reported that he said he was going to kill everyone, according to Covelli.

“The threat was directed at the family inside the home,” he said.

Police seized a collection of bladed objects – 16 knives, a dagger and a sword – but made no arrests because there were no signed complaints against Crimo. Highland Park police notified state police of the visit. At the time, involuntary commitment was not an option, Covelli said.

Local police filed a “Clear and Present Danger” report about the visit with the Illinois State Police, the agency said.

“The report indicates that when police went to the home and asked the individual if he wanted to hurt himself or others, he said no,” state police said in a second statement.

“Also and importantly, the father claimed the knives were his and were kept in the person’s wardrobe for safekeeping. Based on this information, Highland Park Police returned the knives to the father later that afternoon,” state police added.

State Police Capt. Sgt. Delilah Garcia said they checked to see if Crimo had a Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) card that should have been revoked, but he did not have one.

In a news release, Illinois State Police officials said that in December 2019, Crimo applied for a FOID card that was sponsored by his father.

“The subject was under 21 (he was 19) and the application was sponsored by the subject’s father. Therefore, during the review of the FOID application in January 2020, there were insufficient grounds to establish a clear and present danger and deny the FOID application,” state police said.

In April 2019, local police went to the family’s home after receiving a tip that Crimo had attempted to take his own life a week earlier. Officers spoke with him and his parents and were told that mental health professionals were dealing with the matter, Covelli said.

Covelli said later that the suspect had bought five guns, including two rifles, since the police visit in September.

He legally obtained the weapon used, officials said

The suspect legally purchased the weapon he used in Monday’s shooting, Covelli said Tuesday, describing it as a “powerful rifle” that fires high-velocity cartridges. The weapon, which he described as “similar to an AR-15,” was purchased locally, Covelli said, in the Chicagoland area.

Investigators believe he fired more than 70 rounds during the attack, Covelli said, and there is no indication the weapon was modified.

Crimo also legally purchased a second rifle found in his vehicle at the time he was arrested, as well as other weapons recovered from his home, which Covelli described as handguns.

Between June 2020 and September 2021, Crimo passed four background checks while purchasing firearms. Those checks went through the Firearms Transaction Investigation Program (FTIP), which includes the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, state police said in a statement.

At the time, the only felony included in Crimo’s history was a January 2016 ordinance violation for possession of tobacco, and no mental health prohibition reports had been filed with state police by health care facilities or staff, police said.

Police in Highwood — the suspect’s hometown, right next to Highland Park — had no previous crime-related interactions with Crimo, according to Chief Dave Wentz.

The only contact the department had with Crimo involved a non-criminal incident Crimo was present at when he was a juvenile, Wentz said.

“We literally have nothing on him,” Wentz said. “He was not potentially involved in anything.

He posted violent images online

The suspected shooter has released music on several major streaming platforms under the moniker Awake the Rapper, and he apparently made and posted music videos online that included lurid lyrics and animated scenes of gun violence.

In one video titled “Are You Awake”, a cartoon animation of a gunman with figurines resembling the appearance of the suspect is seen wearing tactical gear and carrying out an attack with a rifle. Crimo, seen sporting multicolored hair and facial tattoos, recounts: “I just have to do it. This is my destiny.”

In another video, titled “Toy Soldier,” a similar figure resembling the suspect is depicted lying face down in a pool of his own blood, surrounded by police officers with guns drawn.

Law enforcement officials are reviewing the videos posted online, Covelli said at Tuesday’s news conference, noting that police were not previously notified of them. “We’ll look at them and see what they reveal.”

Several of the suspect’s online posts “reflect a plan and desire to commit carnage long in advance,” Mayor Rothering said in an interview with NBC’s Hoda Kotb on “Today.

“And it’s one of those things where you step back and say what happened? How could someone become so angry and hateful,” she said, “to take this out on innocent people who were literally just having a family day? “

YouTube and Spotify have removed content related to the suspect from their platforms, the companies confirmed on Tuesday. They declined to answer questions about whether the content had been flagged or previously reported for violations of their respective terms of service. The companies also declined to say when exactly they removed the suspect’s content.

CNN also reached out to Apple Music, Amazon Music, Tidal and Pandora with similar questions, but the companies have yet to respond.

His uncle says he didn’t see any warning signs

Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rothering knew the suspect when he was a Cub Scout pack leader, she said, telling CNN: “Many years ago he was just a little boy, a quiet little boy that I knew.”

“It breaks my heart. I see this picture and through the tattoos I see the little boy,” she said. “I don’t know what brought him here.”

The suspect’s uncle, Paul A. Crimo, was “heartbroken” when he learned his nephew was believed to be responsible for Monday’s shooting, telling CNN, “There were no signs that I saw that would lead him to do this. “

The suspect lived in an apartment behind a house in Highwood owned by his father, said Paul Crimo, who also lives in the house. The last time he saw his nephew was Sunday night, he said, sitting in a chair in the house and looking at his computer.

“Everything was normal,” he said.

As far as Paul Crimmo knows, his nephew has not had a job, he told CNN, although he worked at Panera Bread before the Covid-19 pandemic. Paul Crimmo said he never saw the suspect engage in any violent or disturbing behavior. He was also unaware of his nephew’s political views, describing him as a “quiet” person.

“He’s usually alone. He’s a lonely, quiet guy. He keeps everything to himself.”

The suspect’s father and Paul Crimo’s brother, Robert Crimo Jr., previously ran for mayor, he said. “We are good people here and to have this is devastating.

“I’m so heartbroken for all the families that lost their lives,” Paul Crimo said.

Taylor Romine, Joe Sutton, Jeff Winter, Yahya Abu-Ghazala, David Williams, Rebecca Rees, Brian Fung and Ashley Killough contributed to this report from CNN.