Bobby Crimo was a well-known police officer who once threatened to “kill everybody” in his family’s home with his extensive collection of knives. But cops did not arrest him
Highland Park shooter Robert ‘Bobby’ Crimo III, 21, has been charged by the Illinois State’s Attorney’s office with seven counts of first degree murder.
Eric Rinehart, the State’s attorney announced the charges in a press conference. This was just one day after July 4th parade shooting that left seven dead and many more injured.
Each case carries the maximum prison sentence of life without parole.
Rinehart indicated that Crimo may face almost a dozen additional charges. These could include attempted murder, assault, and possibly more.
He replied, “These were the first of many accusations.”
Rinehart didn’t speculate about the motives for the shooting during the press conference.
Red flag laws were praised by the attorney, who also called for an end to assault rifles nationwide.
The police initially stated that Crimo did not know them, but they later revealed on Tuesday that Crimo had been interview twice in 2019 by authorities.
One week following his threat to kill himself, he made the second in April 2019. After threatening to kill his entire family, he then threatened to kill the second.
Although police found 16 knives, a sword and a dagger from the home of his wife, they did not arrest him.
He was instead able to buy 2 assault rifles in Illinois at 21 as well as 3 other guns. He is not certain why his previous assault rifle incidents didn’t get flagged before he purchased legal weapons.
Chris Covelli from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office revealed the previous incidents in a press conference Tuesday afternoon.
Thomas Durkin is the prominent defense attorney representing the suspect.
DailyMail.com reported that Durkin was initially contacted on the morning of the shooting by the suspect’s relatives. Durkin is currently being retained.
He stated that he had no additional information about the shooting beyond what was already available in public domain.
In the April 2019 incident, ‘an individual contacted Highland Park department a week after learning of him attempting to suicide. This was not a timely report.
They arrived at the address and spoke with him, his parents, and informed them that the matter was under the care of the mental health professionals. It was not necessary to take law enforcement actions.
A family recalls that in September 2019, the suspect claimed that he would “kill everybody” and that his collection included knives. They responded and took 16 knives and a dagger from his home.
“There was no probable cause for the arrest of the victims and they did not file any complaints.” They did inform the Illinois State Police.
Bob Crimo Sr arrives home Tuesday and talks on the telephone
Crimo’s father Bob Sr., was detained by police upon Crimo’s arrival at his house on Tuesday
Interview with police by the father in Highland Park shooting victim on Tuesday He hasn’t yet made any public comments
CNN reported that the FBI had made contact with the suspect’s family at 2:30 PM on the morning of the shooting.
On Tuesday, the gunman drove his car to Highland Park, Illinois. The number 47, which represents the reverse date of July Fourth in reverse was his obsession.
According to Times of Israel Crimo has also been accused of taking a look at the Central Avenue Synagogue located in Highland Park (Illinois), according to reports.
According to the website, Rabbi Yosef Shanowitz said that he knew the suspect because of an April 2022 incident. According to the rabbi, the suspect entered Chabad synagogue during Passover. We have an armed security guard sitting in front… I approached him and sternly asked him to leave as I noticed he was not a member of our community.’
In a separate interview with Forward.com, the congregation’s head of security Martin Blumenthal said of Crimo: ‘He was definitely sizing up the synagogue.’
Blumenthal stated that Crimo was dressed in all black and gloves, ‘in the Goth Style.’ He claimed that Crimo was wearing all black clothes and gloves, but no weapons.
He said, “He claimed his name was Bobby. He lived in this neighborhood.” He watched me the entire time. Blumenthal also said Crimo later left his bicycle.
Police have still not been able to determine a motive. Crimo will be arrested later today.
Crimo 21 has not been indicted for the killings, however he remains under arrest and talks to the authorities. Yesterday, he was seen hiding from the attackers.
Six victims of the shooting were named. They are Steve Straus, 88; Katherine Baldstein, 64; Jacki Sondheim, 63; Nicholas Toledo Zaragoza, 78; and husband and wife Irina and Kevin McCarthy, 35 and 37.
Aiden McCarthy, a 2-year-old boy, was left behind by the McCarthys. He was discovered wandering in solitude after the shooting.
Following Monday’s attack, he ran among the frightened paradegoers pretending to have been one of the victims and returned to his home.
The police said that they don’t believe she was aware that he had asked her to give her her car. He took her car and fled.
This raises questions about the motives, lifestyle, and obsession of the gunman with 47.
Crimo had 47 tattoos on his cheek. The numbers were engraved on the car’s side.
On Tuesday Crimo left the car abandoned in his front yard after it had been raided and searched by FBI agents. Crimo shared the number via his social media platforms, as well as ominous Rap videos glorifying school shootings.
On Tuesday, the gunman drove his car to Highland Park, Illinois. The number 47, which represents the reverse date of July Fourth in reverse was his obsession.
It was announced Tuesday:
- Crimo bought the semiautomatic weapon used for the attack legally at a local retail store.
- He shot 70 shots from the top of a local shop before he abandoned the weapon and ran into the crowd.
- The attack has left 45 people dead and injured.
- Witnesses claim that a female witnessed said she saw the suspect dropping a gun wrapped in red blankets.
- After walking to his mom’s home, he asked her to get her car. He was apparently unaware that she was the shooter at the time.
- The vehicle was given by his mother to him, which he then used to drive 8 miles north from the scene.
- Crimo’s motives remain unknown. Investigators continue to interview Crimo.
- Crimo may have been traveling to Madison, Wisconsin just 150 miles from Highland Park before Monday’s shooting.
Paul Crimo (his uncle) has told him that he behaved normally Sunday night. He claimed he displayed ‘no signs and violence’, despite YouTube videos that glorify school shootings. It is not known what the shooter was trying to do with yesterday’s attack.
‘I’m heartbroken. I’m so heartbroken. No signs were there that could have made him do it. He’s a quiet kid. He’s usually on his own. He’s a lonely, quiet person. He keeps everything to himself,’ Paul Crimo, his uncle, told CNN.
Paul Crimo, in the same interview, confirmed that his nephew resided in an apartment located behind Bob Crimo Jr’s home on Pleasant Avenue, Highwood.
He said that everything was normal and that the day before the shooting he had been sitting in a recliner at home, staring at his computer. It is heartbreaking to lose such good people. I’m so heartbroken for all the families who lost their lives.’
Paul Crimo also said in an interview with Fox32: “I didn’t see any signs of trouble.” If I had seen signs of trouble, I would have spoken up. I’m deeply heartbroken and I’ll be heartbroken for the rest of my life.’
Bobby Crimo (right), Highland Park photographer, is pictured with Denise, his half-sister Lynette, and Sam, in a 2017 photograph.
Bobby Crimo 21 (right) and Sam Crimo (left). They attended Lincoln Elementary School, and attended LEAP afterschool programs between 2008-2014. Coaches who taught them said that they were the most frequently picked up.
Crimo’s parents have not yet addressed the attack. Bob Sr. was his father and ran unsuccessfully to be mayor against Nancy Rotering.
Rotering confirmed Tuesday morning that Crimo had legally obtained his weapon. Rotering confirmed that Crimo had legally obtained his weapon when he was cub Scout. He said that she taught him as a child and was an ordinary ‘little boy. Although police are still trying to determine the type of weapon that he used for his training, witnesses and video suggest it was a powerful rifle.
“It is one of those cases where you have to look back and wonder, how did it happen? Is it possible for someone to become so angry and hateful that they then target innocent family members who were simply having a day off??
She said, “He was only a small boy.”
On Monday morning, the gunman fired at least 15 minutes after the start of the parade. The gunman fled from the scene, hiding throughout the day. He was finally arrested in Lake Forrest at 6.30 pm. This is eight miles away from the site where the massacre took place.
Two-year-old boy is left alone and bloodied in Highland Park Parade shooting. His parents died during the massacre.
Following the brutal murder of his parents, the boy found bleeding during Monday’s Highland Park parade shooting was lifted from under his father’s feet.
Kevin McCarthy (37), and Irina McCarthy (35) were killed in the fourth of July revelry.
Aiden, the two-year-old boy, was taken from his parents’ home during chaos. He is now safe and sound. He is now in the custody of his grandparents.
A GoFundMe page was established to help Aiden’s family with ‘raising, caring for and supporting’ him. Already, the account has raised $79,000.
After his parents’ brutal attack, the little boy was left orphaned by the bloody incident at the Highland Park Parade shooting. He was lifted from under his father.
Lauren Silva, 38 of Deerfield, found Aiden after hearing gunshots while they headed to Walker Bros Restaurant for breakfast.
Silva stated to The Daily Beast that Silva and his friends emerged from a nearby parking lot just as the violence started.
‘We were just opening the door to walk up the stairs and we heard it…boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom,’ she told the Beast. “It sounded almost like somebody was pounding on the doors.
Silva was running with her boyfriend and son towards injured people when Silva suddenly saw her boyfriend grab the boy in her arms.
“My boyfriend gave me the little boy, and said that he was under the father who had been shot in the leg,” she explained to the Beast.
“They tried to stop the bleeding, so I took the boy downstairs and brought him into the garage.
After getting inside, she was able to wash off his blood and clean up the scratches. According to her, he had only worn one shoe while his socks were covered with blood.
She said that he kept asking her if dad and mom were coming back soon.
Kevin McCarthy, 37 and Irina McCarthy 35 were killed as a result of Fourth of July festivities
After 20 minutes Silva returned to the garage and asked for his father’s feedback. After 20 minutes, Silva returned to her garage to check on his health. He was taken to hospital by the family that she had been hunkering in there. Later, he was handed to police. Silva claims that the child was finally found his grandparents.
Fox 32 Chicago reports that Dana Ruder Ring took care of the child up to 8 p.m. and posted the original photograph of the boy in an effort to help the identification.
Fox 32 told her that she doesn’t know the names of his parents.
Silva is a mother to two children and said that she still holds on to her memories of the “kid’s smile, his touch, and the sound his voice made.”
‘I feel like I want to hold on to, like, a little bit of emotion that I feel—which is telling that boy that his dad was going to come back,’ she said.