grand jury indicts Highland Park shooting suspect on 117 counts

A grand jury on Wednesday indicted the suspect in the Chicago Fourth of July parade shooting that killed seven people and injured dozens more. He was charged with 117 counts, including 21 counts of first degree murder. Robert Crimo, 21, was accused of shooting from a roof into a crowd of parade goers in Highland Park during the Independence Day celebration. He will appear in court on August 3 and faces life in prison if he is convicted.

Crimo admitted to shooting when police arrested him, according to prosecutors. Police found in his car a weapon similar to the Smith & Wesson semi-automatic rifle found at the scene of the shooting.

Outside of the first-degree murder charges, Crimo also faces 48 counts of attempted murder and 48 counts of aggravated assault with a firearm. These counts represent each victim who was struck by a bullet, bullet fragment, or shrapnel. After the Highland Park shooting, the suspect drove to Madison, Wisconsin, where investigators believe he considered a second mass shooting before deciding not to.

“I want to thank the law enforcement and prosecutors who presented evidence to the grand jury today,” Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said in a statement. “Our investigation continues, and our victim specialists are working around the clock to support everyone affected by this crime that led to the filing of 117 felony charges.”

According to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Crimo obtained the guns legally, having been approved to purchase five guns despite a history of frequent police calls and visits involving threats to kill himself and others.

[Parte de la información para este informe proviene de The Associated Press y Reuters]

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