WAUKEGAN, Ill. — The highly anticipated trial of a suburban Chicago man, charged in connection with a tragic mass shooting during the 2022 Independence Day parade, is scheduled to commence on Monday. This incident resulted in the loss of seven lives and left many more injured.
Robert Crimo III faces 21 counts of first-degree murder—three counts for each victim killed—as well as 48 charges of attempted murder. Prior to jury selection last week, prosecutors dropped the less severe charges of aggravated battery.
The path to the trial has faced numerous delays due to Crimo’s erratic behavior, including his surprising rejection of a plea deal that caught even his own legal team off guard. During jury selection last week, Crimo made sporadic court appearances and at times refused to leave his jail cell.
Authorities allege that Crimo fired on parade-goers from a rooftop, targeting crowds gathered for the annual Independence Day festivities in Highland Park, located approximately 30 miles north of Chicago.
Prosecutors have amassed an extensive collection of evidence, which includes thousands of pages of documents and hours of video from a police interrogation in which Crimo reportedly confessed. Despite these allegations, the 24-year-old has pleaded not guilty.
Defense attorneys have refrained from commenting as the trial, expected to last around one month, approaches.
Crimo’s father, Robert Crimo Jr., previously a mayoral candidate, has faced charges for his role in his son’s acquisition of a gun license. He pled guilty to seven misdemeanor counts of reckless conduct in 2023 and served a brief jail sentence.
In court, the father has engaged with his son during hearings but has chosen not to discuss the case extensively ahead of the trial. “As a parent, I love my son very much,” he stated. “And Bobby loves this country more than anyone would ever know.”
Prosecutors are slated to call various law enforcement officials and survivors to testify, along with presenting recordings of Crimo’s police statements. Some footage has already been presented during efforts to exclude them from the trial.
Crimo’s disruptive behavior has played a significant role in delaying proceedings.
At one point, he dismissed his public defenders, expressed intentions to defend himself, and then reversed that decision. In June 2024, he arrived at court in a wheelchair, rejecting a plea deal that would have allowed victims and their families to address him directly.
Residents of Highland Park, a community of around 30,000 residents along Lake Michigan, continue to mourn the losses endured from the tragic event. Some potential jurors were excused due to their personal connections to the incident.
In the wake of the shooting, city officials canceled the traditional parade in 2023, opting instead for a community walk. The parade returned the following year, albeit on a different route with a memorial honoring the victims.
“Our community is once again reminded of the immense pain and trauma caused by the Highland Park shooting,” remarked Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering. “Our hearts remain with the victims, their families, and all those whose lives were forever changed by that devastating day.”
The victims of the shooting included Katherine Goldstein, 64; Jacquelyn Sundheim, 63; Stephen Straus, 88; Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza, 78; Eduardo Uvaldo, 69; along with married couple Kevin McCarthy, 37, and Irina McCarthy, 35.
Survivors and their families have initiated multiple lawsuits against various parties, including the manufacturer of the semiautomatic weapon used in the shooting and local authorities, whom they accuse of negligence.
