FILE – Visitors pay their respects, Thursday, July 7, 2022, at altars for the seven people killed in the July 4th mass shooting in Highland Park, Ill. On Wednesday, July 27, 2022 The man accused of opening fire at an Independence Day parade in suburban Chicago has been indicted by a grand jury on 21 counts of first-degree murder, 48 counts of attempted murder and 48 counts of aggravated assault, accounting for the seven deaths and dozens wounded. the attack on a beloved holiday event. Prosecutors previously filed seven counts of murder against Robert E. Crimo III. They announced the grand jury’s decision to indict him on 117 felony charges on Wednesday. Crimo’s attorneys have yet to formally respond to any of the charges he faces in the July 4 shooting in downtown Highland Park, Illinois. A spokesman for the county public defender’s office, which is representing Crimo, said Wednesday that it does not comment publicly on any case. Prosecutors said Crimo, 21, admitted to the shooting when police arrested him after an hours-long investigation on July 4. Under Illinois law, prosecutors can ask a grand jury to determine whether there is probable cause to go to trial. Grand jury proceedings are not open to the public and defense attorneys cannot cross-examine witnesses. The multiple counts of first-degree murder allege that Crimo intended to kill, caused death or great bodily harm and acted with a high likelihood of causing death or great bodily harm to the seven people who died. Prosecutors said Wednesday that the 48 attempted murders and 48 counts of aggravated assault represent “each victim struck by a bullet, bullet fragment or shrapnel.” “I want to thank the law enforcement authorities and prosecutors who presented evidence to the grand jury today,” State’s Attorney Lake Rinehart said in a statement. “Our investigation is ongoing and our victim specialists are working around the clock to support everyone affected by this crime which resulted in 117 felonies being laid.” Authorities said the injured range in age from 8 to 80, including an 8-year-old boy who was paralyzed from the waist down when the gunshot severed his spine. In her first public comments since the shooting, the boy’s mother said in a video and written statement released Wednesday that the violence her family and others have experienced has taught them “to see the incredibly generous, loving, kind and gentle spirit that makes up the vast majority of our world.” Kelly Roberts described her son Cooper Roberts as “athletic” and “fun-loving,” but said he has a long way to go. Cooper was shot in the back. The bullet tore through his body, severely damaging his aorta, liver and esophagus and spinal cord before exiting his chest. Cooper has undergone multiple surgeries and is paralyzed from the waist down. Cooper’s twin brother, Luke, suffered minor injuries from shrapnel, but his mum is worried about the impact of seeing his twin injured so violently. He was also injured in the leg. Roberts said she still sees a bright future for Cooper and thanked bystanders who helped the family in the aftermath of the shooting, along with health care providers and other responders. “It will teach a lot of people that the lesson in this is not that one person did this horrible thing,” he said. “The lesson in this is that thousands of people have done great things, kind things, and continue to do kind things. things.” During a court hearing presenting the murder charges, prosecutors said police found more than 80 spent shell casings on the roof of a building along the parade route and the semi-automatic rifle used in the attack on the ground nearby. Investigators believe Crimo mingled with the fleeing crowd to get away from the scene, then borrowed his mother’s car and briefly contemplated a second attack at a party in Madison, Wisconsin, before returning to Illinois where police arrested him. arrested. Crimo is scheduled to appear in court on August 3.
