In the aftermath of a massacre perpetrated on the day of the American national holiday, the city of Highland Park, in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, was torn on Tuesday between pain and incomprehension, wondering about the motive of Robert “Bobby” E. Crimo III, 21 years old. Armed with a gun ” powerful “ – type AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, civilian version of the US Army assault rifle – Robert Crimo opened fire on the crowd from the roof of a building while hundreds of residents attended the traditional 4th of July parade, killing seven and injuring twenty-five, after one person succumbed to his injuries.
Planned attack
“He has been planning this attack for several weeks”said Christopher Covelli of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. “We have no information to suggest at this stage that the act was motivated by race, religion” – the shooting took place in a neighborhood where there is a large Jewish community – he added, specifying that Robert Crimo “was disguised as a woman” to hide his identity and may have worn a long hair wig to hide his facial tattoos. The police chief explained that after firing some seventy shots, the shooter mixed with the crowd, returned to his mother’s house and took his car. He was arrested without difficulty, he had a second weapon in his vehicle, purchased legally.
The #FBI is assisting with the search for Robert E. Crimo, III, sought for his alleged involvement in the shooting… https://t.co/73AvU7oX05
The police had released a photo of a diaphanous young man, with an emaciated face, long black hair, his face marked with several tattoos, like a « 47 » on the right temple and a « Awake »his rapper name, above the left brow bone. « Awake the Rapper » had posted tracks that were removed by YouTube and Spotify, reports the Washington Post.
His uncle, Paul Crimo, with whom he lives in nearby Highwood, described him as a “very quiet kid”and “YouTube rapper” who “does not express himself, remains seated in front of his computer” and with which he had “no interaction”. The nature of the relationship between Bobby Crimo and his father Bob, a grocer who had fought an unsuccessful 2019 campaign to become mayor of Highland Park, was not immediately clear on Tuesday.
Violent videos
A friend of his from whom he had recently become estranged, Bennett Brizes, told the Washington Post that Bobby Crimo was “always apolitical”. “I don’t know, man”he invariably replied when asked his opinion on world affairs.
According to the Chicago Tribune, a video posted eight months ago shows a young man believed to be Robert Crimo in a bedroom and classroom with posters of a gunman and people being shot. And an audio commentary: “I just need to do it”then ” It’s my destiny. Everything led me to this. Nothing can stop me, not even myself”. Images archived on the suspect’s Twitter account show him in particular with a flag of support for former Republican President Donald Trump on his back.
Robert E. Crimo seen attending Trump rally dressed as Where’s Waldo https://t.co/32CIhegdno https://t.co/Fqe6PAqTkj
Robert “Bobby” Crimo, who was taken into custody about seven hours after a sniper attack left six dead and dozens m… https://t.co/CFs6qCW2du
His publications on the Internet “reflected a plan and a desire to commit carnage long in advance”said Nancy Rotering, the mayor of Highland Park, in an interview on NBC. She told CNN that she knew the young man when he was a Boy Scout: “This is where you have to reflect and wonder what happened: how did someone become so angry, so full of hatred to attack innocent people who are spending a day with their families ? », did she say. Paul Crimo, the suspect’s uncle, said on CNN on Tuesday that he had not seen “no sign that would explain what he did”.