Highland Park Shooting
Robert Crimo Jr., whose son is accused of killing seven people at an Illinois Fourth of July parade, will serve 60 days in jail
Robert Crimo Jr., the father of the man who is accused of killing seven people and wounding many more at a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois, pleaded guilty on Monday to seven counts of misdemeanor reckless conduct for aiding his son in obtaining a license to own firearms prior to the shootings, The New York Times reports.
The guilty pleas were entered before the elder Crimo’s trial was slated to begin in Lake County, Illinois. Per the agreement, Crimo will serve 60 days in jail, two years probation, and 100 hours of public service, according to prosecutors.
Prosecutors allege that the elder Crimo ignored signs that his son, Robert “Bobby” Crimo III, had shown of the potential for violence. In 2019, months before he helped his son secure the state gun permit, a family member reported to authorities that the younger Crimo had threatened to “kill everyone.” Police found and removed 16 knives, a dagger, and a sword from their home, but did not find probable cause to arrest him at that time.
Crimo III later purchased several weapons, including a high-powered rifle. On July 4, 2022, he allegedly opened fire on the parade crowd from a roof of a building in Highland Park, killing seven people and injuring scores more, per prosecutors.
Crimo III, who was 21 at the time is in jail awaiting a trial date. In July 2022, he was indicted on 117 counts stemming from the tragic July 4th shooting, including 21 counts of first degree murder.