As of Wednesday, seven people had died from the Highland Park Fourth of July massacre.
The victims include Stephen Straus, 88; Katherine Goldstein, 64; Jacki Sundheim, 63; Nicholas Toledo Zaragoza, 78; Eduardo Uvaldo, 69, and husband and wife, Irina and Kevin McCarthy, 35 and 37.
The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office announced Wednesday that Uvaldo was the seventh victim who died in Evanston Hospital at 8:15 a.m. There are now 46 injured victims, with ages ranging from 8 to 85.
Robert Crimo (21 years old) appeared at Lake County Court on Wednesday after being accused of seven counts for first-degree murder. The suspect is facing a host of additional charges, and is currently being held in lieu bail.
Eric Rinehart from Lake County State Attorney stated that Crimo had committed an ‘intentional and deliberate attack. He said Crimo confessed to standing on a roof above the parade route and took aim at people standing across the street, reloading his Smith & Wesson AR-15 rifle three times.
The roof was rescued by police with 83 casings.
Irina and Kevin McCarthy, 35 and 37, were both killed in the massacre. Aiden McCarthy, their two-year old son, was pulled out from under his father’s corpse
Nicolas Toledo, aged 76, was unable to join the Highland Park July 4 Parade on Monday. His granddaughter had asked him not to, as he is in a wheelchair.
Irina McCarthy (35 and 37) were the parents to Aiden, a 2-year-old boy. He is now an orphan. Paradegoers took care of him by pulling him from under his father’s corpse.
Nicolas Toledo, aged 76, was the first victim identified. The victim was a grandfather who visited his Mexican family. His family claimed that he was hit in the head sitting in his wheelchair. Their blood was all over him.
Toledo had not wanted to attend the parade, his granddaughter told the New York Times. His disabilities meant that he was unable to walk and he had to accept his family’s request.
Jacki Sundheim, another victim was also a victim. Long-standing teacher at North Shore Congregation Israel synagogue. The Times of Israel reports that her husband Bruce, and their daughter Leah are still with her.
In a statement, the synagogue stated that “there are no words adequate to express the deepest grief we feel for Jacki’s death.”
Eduardo Uvaldo (69), died Wednesday after sustaining a gunshot injury to his arm and head. Maria Uvaldo, his wife, was struck in the head with fragments. His grandson, however, sustained a gunshot to the arm and is now stable.
Cassie Goldstein, Katherine Goldstein’s child, spoke out Wednesday about how her mother, who was shot in her chest, fell to her death in front of her.
“He shot her in her chest and she fell to the ground. Cassie said that she knew she was dead. “So I simply told her I loved and cherished her but he kept shooting at everyone right next to me so I had no choice but to tell him that.
Katherine Goldstein is pictured at left. She was killed during the Highland Park massacre on July 4, 2012.
Steve Straus (left), was one of seven who died in the Highland Park massacre that took place during the Fourth of July parade. Eduardo Uvaldo (right), died Wednesday. His family said that he was shot in the back and arm of his head.
The local doctor that rushed to the scene of the massacre described the victim shootings as having been ‘blown up by’ the attacker’s high powered weapon.
Highland Park’s long-standing obstetrician, Dr. David Baum was there to witness his grandson, aged two, participate in the parade. He ran to the aid of the wounded when the gunshots rang and other people fled.
Baum spoke with CNN about seeing victims suffering from ‘wartime,’ and unspeakable’ injuries.
Baum stated that the gunfire blew up all those who had been killed. “The horrible scene that some of these bodies left behind is unimaginable to the common person.”
“I’ve been a physician and I’ve seen things at ERs. It’s not uncommon to see lots blood. However, the victims were actually — at least some — subject to an evisceration injury by the gun’s power and bullets.
“Another person sustained an inflictious head injury.” CNN reported that it was “unspeakable.”
‘And the injuries that I saw — I never served — but those are wartime injuries. Baum explained that these are injuries suffered by war victims, and not parade victims.
Baum claimed that there were three or more doctors who helped him with victims. One was a nurse and the other was a nurse practitioner. Baum recalled that paramedics covered up victims they suspected were already dead on the spot.