Independence Day shooter escaped in drag – police — Analysis
The man who shot up a 4th of July parade disguised himself in women’s clothing as he escaped, police say
The 21-year-old man who opened fire on a 4th of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois, killing seven and injuring 30 more, managed to escape by disguising himself in women’s clothing, police have revealed.
“[Suspect Robert ‘Bobby’] Crimo was dressed in women’s clothing and investigators do believe he did this to conceal his facial tattoos and his identity,” Lake County Major Crime Task Force spokesman Christopher Covelli told reporters on Tuesday.
According to police, Crimo used a ladder for climbing onto the roof of a building along the parade route. He then squeezed 70 rounds through the crowd as they marched down the street. The gun was later discarded atop the structure to avoid suspicion. According to Covelli, his disguise may have been a wig.
The accused gunman, who had apparently spent weeks planning the attack, fled to his mother’s house and took her car, eluding police for several hours before he was apprehended just five miles from the scene of the crime. The car reportedly contained another gun, while his apartment in the neighboring town of Highwood held more firearms, described as “Possibility of pistols.” The weapons were reportedly legally purchased.
Six of Crimo’s victims died on Monday, with a seventh succumbing to their wounds on Tuesday, according to authorities. No motive for the crime has yet surfaced, though police have reportedly been “in discussions” with Crimo following his arrest.
Described as a “Rapper, Singer, Songwriter, Actor, Director” on his IMDB page, Crimo performed under the name Awake the Rapper. Although many of the videos were removed from YouTube due to violent imagery, and reference to school shootings being included, relatives say he did not show any signs of violence.
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Gun control supporters have claimed that this attack is proof the US requires stricter gun laws despite the fact that President Joe Biden just signed a massive package of reforms. The new law requires an examination of young gun buyers’ juvenile mental health records, prevents anyone convicted of domestic violence from legally obtaining a firearm for five years, and provides funding for so-called “Flag of red” laws that allow authorities to confiscate guns from people deemed a threat to themselves or others.
Some states are tightening their gun ownership restrictions in the wake of recent mass shootings. New York last month passed a law requiring those seeking gun permits to submit their social media accounts for vetting, along with multiple “References to characters.”
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