Highland Park Fourth of July Shooter Disguised Himself in Women’s Clothing to Make Escape, Cops Say

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Robert Bobby E. Crimo III, 21, is alleged to have fired approximately 70 shots upon multiple people in the affluent Chicago suburb on Monday with a legally-obtained rifle from the roof of a business overlooking the parade route, authorities say.
Robert “Bobby” E. Crimo III, 21, is alleged to have fired approximately 70 shots upon multiple people in the affluent Chicago suburb on Monday with a legally-obtained rifle from the roof of a business overlooking the parade route, authorities say.

HIGHLAND PARK, IL – The alleged shooter who killed six people and wounded at least 30 others after firing multiple shots from a high-powered rifle upon a Highland Park, Illinois Fourth of July parade is said to have worn women’s clothing – including possibly a wig – to disguise himself while he escaped during the grim aftermath, police said on Tuesday.

Robert “Bobby” E. Crimo III, 21, is alleged to have fired approximately 70 shots upon multiple people in the affluent Chicago suburb on Monday with a legally-obtained rifle from the roof of a business overlooking the parade route, authorities say.

Crimo is said to have then made good his escape – after leaving his rifle at the scene – while wearing a dress and perhaps even a wig in order to appear “almost as if he was an innocent spectator himself” and potentially take attention away from his many tattoos, according to Lake County Major Crime Task Force spokesman Christopher Covelli.

“Crimo was dressed in women’s clothing and investigators do believe he did this to conceal his facial tattoos and his identity. He was seen on video camera in women’s clothing,” he said. “He wore that in an attempt to conceal himself.’’

Police initially raided the home that Crimo may have shared with his father and uncle, but did not find the suspect there. The amateur rapper was later spotted in his mother’s vehicle by bystanders who alerted authorities, and he was located and arrested by police soon afterward.

At the time of Crimo’s arrest another rifle was discovered in his car, with additional firearms found in his nearby Highwood apartment, all of which were bought legally from local merchants, cops say.

Charges against Crimo – who police believe “pre-planned this attack for several weeks” – were anticipated to be filed Tuesday; however, Covelli noted that a motive for the shooter’s deadly rampage is still unknown.

“Investigators have been in discussions with him. I don’t have anything to say about motivation thus far because it hasn’t been provided,” he said. “We have no indication to suggest at this point that it was racially motivated, motivated by religion.”

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