Summary
This blog is now closing. Here is what we know so far.
- Six people were killed and at least 30 wounded when a gunman opened fire on a Fourth of July parade from a nearby rooftop in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park.
- After an hours-long manhunt, authorities announced that they had taken 21-year-old Robert “Bobby” Crimo III into custody. Crimo had been identified as a person of interest earlier in the afternoon and was arrested after a short pursuit. No charges had been laid as of Monday night.
- Among the victims was Nicolas Toledo, a 76-year-old grandfather who was identified by his family. He was watching the parade from his wheelchair when gunshots rang out.
- NorthShore University Health Center received 26 patients after the attack. All but one had gunshot wounds, Dr Brigham Temple, medical director of emergency preparedness, said. Their ages ranged from 8 to 85, and Temple estimated that four or five patients were children.
- The parade began around 10am but was halted 10 minutes later after shots were fired. Hundreds of parade-goers – some visibly bloodied – fled the parade route, leaving behind chairs, baby strollers and blankets.
- In the aftermath of the tragedy, Illinois governor JB Pritzker grieved for the families who lost loved ones but said thoughts and prayers were not enough. “It is devastating that a celebration of America was ripped apart by our uniquely American plague,” he said, vowing to address gun violence.
- Those sentiments were echoed on the national stage by House speaker Nancy Pelosi, President Joe Biden, and others, who spoke out about the frequency of mass shootings in the US.
- The investigation continues and details have not yet been provided on why police believe Crimo was linked to the attack.
Updated
Ron Tuazon spoke to the Associated Press when he returned to the site of the parade to retrieve chairs, blankets and a child’s bike that he and his family abandoned when the shooting began.
“It definitely hits a lot harder when it’s not only your hometown but it’s also right in front of you,” he said.
“It’s commonplace now,” Tuazon said of what he called yet another American atrocity. “We don’t blink anymore. Until laws change, it’s going to be more of the same.”
