Robert Crimo, the 21-year-old man charged with killing seven in the July 4 mass shooting in Highland Park, threatened to “kill everyone” in his home with a “collection of knives” three years before he allegedly went on his shooting rampage.
Officials revealed in a press conference on Tuesday afternoon that law enforcement were called to his home for two incidents involving the suspect in 2019 – but he was still able to legally purchase five firearms.
On the second time – in September 2019 – police were called to a report from a family member that Mr Crimo had vowed to “kill” the people inside the home and that he had a trove of knives.
Officers responded to the scene and found Mr Crimo had 16 knives, a dagger and a sword.
The knives were confiscated but officers did not arrest the suspect because no complaint was made by the alleged victims.
This came five months after Highland Park Police were first called to the home in April 2019 to a report that Mr Crimo had tried to kill himself.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office Sgt Christopher Covelli said that an individual had contacted the police saying that they had just learned Mr Crimo had attempted suicide one week earlier.
Officers responded to the address and spoke to Mr Crimo and his parents, before referring the incident to mental health professionals, he said.
“The matter was being handled by mental health professionals at that time. There was no law enforcement action to be taken. It was a mental health issue handled by those professionals,” he said.
Despite the incidents, Mr Crimo was able to legally purchase multiple firearms in the lead-up to Monday’s attack.
As well as the AR-15-style rifle used in the attack – which was found abandoned near the scene – Mr Crimo was also armed with a second high-powered rifle in his vehicle at the time of his arrest and three pistols were located during a search of his home.
Sgt Covelli also revealed that the suspected shooter crossed state lines after carrying out the attack in the suburban city, driving up to Madison, Wisconsin, in his mother’s vehicle before returning to Illinois where he was arrested.
Officers are now asking a woman who they believe witnessed the gunman drop his rifle under a red blanket after carrying out the attack to come forward to speak to investigators.
“Based on video surveillance recovered by our investigators, we’re very certain that there was a female witness who saw Crimo drop an object inside of a red blanket behind Ross’ at 625 Central Avenue immediately following the shooting,” he said, later confirming it was the weapon.
On Tuesday afternoon Mr Crimo was charged with seven counts of first degree murder over the mass shooting but Eric Rinehart, the county attorney, said he would face “dozens” of extra charges. Mr Rinehart said that if convicted, Mr Crimo would face life in jail without the possibility of parole.
The motive for the attack is still unknown.
Six of the seven victims killed in the attack have now been identified, with officials confirming that the seventh succumbed to their injuries on Tuesday afternoon.
The six victims identified are: Katherine Goldstein, 64 of Highland Park, Irina McCarthy, 35 of Highland Park, Kevin McCarthy, 37 of Highland Park, Jacquelyn Sundheim, 63 of Highland Park, Stephen Straus, 88 of Highland Park and Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza, 78 of Morelos, Mexico.
It is not clear if the seventh victim is an adult or child.
Irina and Kevin McCarthy were a married couple and parents to a two-year-old boy Aiden who will now have to grow up without his parents.
The boy was separated from his parents in the chaos and was cared for by strangers until officials could reunite him with his grandparents.
A GoFundMe set up to raise money for the little boy speaks of the “unthinkable position” Aiden is now in having to “navigate life as an orphan”.
Nicholas Toledo, a 78-year-old grandfather and father of dual US and Mexico nationality, used a wheelchair and was sitting in it watching the parade when he was struck by bullets.
Mr Toledo’s granddaughter told the New York Times they “were all in shock” and revealed that her grandfather hadn’t wanted to go to the parade but only agreed to go so that he could join in the festivities with his family.
Jacki Sundheim was remembered by local synagogue North Shore Congregation Israel as a “lifelong” congregant and “cherished” staffer whose “work, kindness and warmth touched us all”. She leaves behind a husband and daughter.
As well as the deceased, officials said 45 people had been injured in the attack which Mr Crimo had been planning “for several weeks”.
The suspect and wore women’s clothing as a disguise so that he could escape the scene of the mass shooting where he had just killed six victims, according to law enforcement.
Investigators said that Mr Crimo, disguised in women’s clothing and armed with an AR-15, went to the parade route in Highland Park and scaled the roof of a nearby building.
He then unleashed a hail of more than 70 rounds of bullets into the crowd of parade-goers and participants below, said officials.
Mr Crimo then managed to escape the scene undetected because he was dressed in women’s clothing.
Hiding in plain sight among the panicked parade-goers fleeing the scene, the suspect allegedly calmly walked home to his mother’s house.
He was arrested hours later when he was spotted driving along a highway in his mother’s car.
Officials are now facing questions about whether warning signs may have been missed, as it has since emerged that Mr Crimo posted several disturbing videos and posts glorifying violence and mass shootings online prior to the attack.
President Joe Biden condemned the shooting and said that it showed there was “much more work to do” to tackle America’s gun violence – with the attack coming just weeks after 21 students and teachers were murdered in a mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, and 10 Black people were shot dead in a racist attack in Buffalo, New York.
