A suspect has been arrested by police after the deadly massacre at a US National Day parade in Chicago. He is said to have been shot indiscriminately into the crowd from the roof of a commercial building, killing at least six people. The suspected gunman was initially able to escape after the murder, but was eventually spotted at a traffic stop and stopped after a short chase.
Namely Robert E. Crimo III. The said man was taken into custody without further incident and taken to the Highland Park Police Department. When asked, it was said that the police still refer to Crimo as a “person of interest”.
“Powerful rifle” used in Massacre
A spokesman for the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said it appeared the assailant fired indiscriminately into the crowd from the roof of a commercial building during the parade. The firearm found at the scene was a “powerful rifle.” A doctor from a hospital near the crime scene said the clinic was treating 25 people aged 8 to 85 with gunshot wounds, including several children.
The parade started on Monday morning (local time/5:00 pm CEST). Moments later, the first shots fell. After the parade, an American Independence Day celebration was planned in Highland Park, which the mayor canceled after the bloody crime.
The US has long struggled with massive levels of gun violence. In late May, an 18-year-old gunman killed an elementary school in Texas, killing 19 children and two teachers in the small town of Uvalde before being shot and killed by police. The police were then criticized for only entering the classroom where the gunman had holed up after a long delay. Just over a week earlier, an 18-year-old had shot ten people in Buffalo, Texas, and investigators are suspecting a racial motive.
Biden criticized ‘epidemic of gun violence’
US President Joe Biden said he was “appalled at the senseless gun violence that has brought new grief to an American community on this Independence Day.” His statement said: “I will not give up the fight against the gun violence epidemic.” Biden and his Democrats have long called for tougher gun laws. Far-reaching reforms, however, repeatedly fail due to opposition from Republicans in Congress and the influence of the powerful gun lobby organization NRA.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
