NW Illinois News

The cheers and festivities were underway as Highland Park hosted its Independence Parade; however, that would end when a 21-year-old man killed seven people.

“Please join me in praying for the victims, their families and friends and the cities of Highland Park and Chicago,” Representative Tony McCombie wrote on Facebook.

CNN reported authorities arrested Robert “Bobby” Crimo III and may face first-degree murder charges for each death. 

In one of the links McCombie shared, The Chicago Tribune shared the scene and described the parade, before the shootings occurred and witnessed accounts of what things were like afterward.

Hospital leaders said Monday that 26 people were rushed to Highland Park Hospital, all but one of whom had suffered gunshot wounds.

“Four or five of the patients were children,” said Brigham Temple, medical director of emergency preparedness at NorthShore University HealthSystem. “While most were treated and discharged, others were taken to other local hospitals, including a child who was transported by helicopter to Comer Children’s Hospital at the University of Chicago.”

Anti-Defamation League wrote that Crimo’s motive is unknown; however, there are people who seem to know. Unfortunately, ADL added misinformation is spreading rampantly.

ADL wrote Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene claimed the mass shooting was a “false flag” event to convince Republican voters to support gun reform.

In Chicago alone by July 3, there were multiple mass shooting incidents before the carnage on the holiday, according to a report by CBS.

“So far, at least two mass shootings happened over the weekend. The first happened after five men were leaving a business in the Loop Friday.

The men got into an argument with an unknown offender who produced a handgun and began firing multiple shots.

29-year-old Duan Bates suffered a gunshot wound to the left side of the head and was transported to Stroger Hospital in critical condition where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

A 26-year-old man suffered a gunshot wound to the chest and was also transported to Stroger Hospital in critical condition where he was also pronounced dead.

The other three men, 29, 35, and of unknown age, also suffered gunshot wounds and were taken to area hospitals in good condition. 

The second mass shooting happened when an unknown male fired shots -- wounding four people, in the 3800 block of West Monroe Street, in West Garfield Park Friday. 

A 36-year-old woman was shot in the back and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in good condition. Another woman, about 20, was shot once in the leg and was taken to the same hospital in good condition.

A 41-year-old man was shot once in the back and was taken to Stroger Hospital of Cook County in good condition. Another man, about 25, was shot multiple times in the back and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in serious condition. 

Two women were shot after being caught in the crossfire between two men in Chinatown Friday night.

A 24-year-old woman was struck in the torso and transported to Stroger Hospital where she was pronounced dead. A 42-year-old woman suffered a gunshot wound to the hand, and a man, who was one of the offenders in the shooting, was struck in his backside and was taken to the hospital in critical condition.”

ABC7 Chicago reported Illinois Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Darren Bailey told Highland Park residents to “move on”. He later apologized and tried to blame the shooing on Incumbent Governor J.B. Pritzker. 

And ABC7Chicago reported that more than 70 individuals were shot, with eight deaths in Chicago over the Fourth of July weekend.

While those figures are shocking, the news outlet says the toll is still lower than in previous years.

“The toll was lower than last year when 19 people were killed and more than 100 people were shot over the long Fourth of July weekend. In 2020, 79 people were shot, 15 of them fatally; in 2019, 68 people were shot, five of them fatally.”