At the scene of the shooting at the Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois, police crime tape can be seen next to a pair of sunglasses decorated with an American flag.
According to the authorities, a person of interest in the mass shooting that occurred on July 4th has been brought into custody.
Several hours after the incident, Robert E. Crimo III was seen driving a silver Honda Fit in the north Chicago neighborhood of Chicago. According to remarks made by Highland Park Police Chief Lou Jogmen during a conference held on Monday evening, the 22-year-old male subject attempted to flee from an officer who had tried to "initiate a traffic stop."
Crimo ultimately turned himself in, according to Jogmen, and he was "taken into prison without incident." Jogmen said that "a brief pursuit went on" after which Crimo turned himself in.
Jogmen said that the investigation is proceeding swiftly and mentioned that Crimo will be questioned by detectives at the department "to make sure or see if, in fact, he is involved to this occurrence." Jogmen stated that the inquiry is progressing quickly.
Jogmen refused to name Crimo as a suspect when pressed about it, stating that the inquiry was still in its early stages. According to the head of the police department, there is not enough evidence to link him to the shooting that resulted in the deaths of six people and injuries to dozens more.
At an earlier press conference, Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek stated that five of the six victims of the attack were adults who passed away at the scene of the crime. All five have been identified, and authorities are in the process of notifying their families.
The sixth victim passed away while being treated at a nearby hospital. It was not possible to obtain any additional information.
As law enforcement officials continue their hunt for the alleged shooter who is responsible for the deaths of at least six people in Highland Park, Illinois, on Monday, a police officer responds as he walks through the downtown area of the Chicago suburb.
According to the Highland Park Fire Chief Joe Schrage, one of the roughly two dozen patients who were transported to nearby hospitals was a toddler who had suffered life-threatening injuries. Among the injuries are those caused by gunshots to the limbs and abdomen of the victims.
According to a report by the NPR member station WBEZ, the "great majority" of those who were injured were shot, and they are receiving treatment for their wounds. Others "suffered injuries as a result of the ensuing turmoil at the procession," as the article puts it.
Schrage stated that emergency services and witnesses who assisted in tying tourniquets rushed swiftly to the site.
The assailant opened fire on the gathering below from a rooftop position.
According to Sgt. Christopher Covelli of the Lake County Major Crime Task Force, the authorities do not currently have any cause to suspect that there was more than one gunman in this incident.
The shooter was located on the roof of a commercial building and fired a high-powered rifle during the incident, which is currently being probed by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Allegedly, they climbed up an unlocked ladder that was tied to the building and attached to an alleyway in order to get access to the rooftop.
The Highland Park Police Department's Cmdr. Chris O'Neill stated that the crime scene is still active, and officers are emptying buildings in the surrounding neighborhood. People who took shelter in their homes are currently being moved to safer locations.
Witnesses express turmoil, terror and bewilderment
According to what Miles Zaremski said in an interview with NPR, when he initially heard the gunshots, he thought they were fireworks or the backfire of a car.
He added, "And then all of a sudden, the throng began running in a stampede fashion." "And then all of a sudden, the mob..."
"Then I cautiously advanced a little more, and all of a sudden I noticed blood on the pavement. And as I look around, I see people lying in pools of blood, and that's when I realized there had been a mass shooting."
Zaremski stated that he hurried over to offer assistance, but that he was soon pulled away by police and emergency services personnel who were at the site within moments.
He was visibly affected by the occurrences and remarked, "I watched the devastation, and I almost broke down."
Zaremski has called Highland Park his home since 1976, and he has described it as a community that is both caring and tranquil, which is in contrast to the mayhem he previously encountered.
"It's hard to believe. It must have been a film from the science fiction genre that I just watched, but alas, it wasn't, "he added. "The United States of America is a terrifying country."
On Monday in Highland Park, Illinois, terrified attendees of a Fourth of July parade fled the event after shots were fired, leaving their possessions behind as they sought safety and ran away from the scene.
The shooting was brutal and occurred very quickly.
O'Neill reported that the shooter opened fire at approximately 10:14 a.m. in the local time zone. It is unknown how many shots were fired; however, multiple witnesses stated that they heard at least 20 rounds being fired.
The incident took place in a relatively short amount of time, and as a result of the march, police and fire units were already on the scene. O'Neill also mentioned that the department has received training in the areas of rapid deployment, rapid response, and providing assistance.
The Vice President and First Lady Biden have expressed their'shock' at the news.
Several hours after the incident, Vice President Joe Biden, who had little less than ten days previously signed a bipartisan bill to improve gun safety, issued a statement.
Jill and I are both astounded by the senseless gun violence that has once again brought sorrow to a community in the United States on the day that we celebrate our nation's independence.
He pointed out that "measures that will save lives" are included in the recently passed legislation.
The act is the first piece of legislation to modify gun laws to be approved by Congress in in 30 years. It was signed into law approximately one month after two additional mass shootings shook the nation.
The governor of Illinois has referred to the shooter as a "monster."
A call to prayer was issued by the governor of Illinois, J. B. Pritzker, in response to "the evil unleashed this morning." However, the governor stressed that prayers alone will not solve the issue of gun violence in the country.
"There are no words that can adequately describe the kind of monster who waits in ambush and opens fire on a throng of people who are celebrating a holiday with their community while their children are there. The kind of wickedness that robs our neighbors of their hopes, their dreams, and their futures cannot be adequately described using words "Pritzker expressed his thoughts in a statement.
"We have no choice but to put an end to this epidemic of gun violence, and we will."
The Mayor of Highland Park, Nancy Rotering, stated that: "During this incredibly difficult time, our thoughts and prayers are with the victims' families. On a day when we were supposed to be celebrating our sense of community and our freedom together, we are instead grieving the senseless loss of life and attempting to come to terms with the terror that has been visited upon us."
This is a brand-new piece of breaking news. After further investigation, it will become clear that several items that were published by the media were inaccurate. The accounts of officials and other authorities, reputable news outlets, and reporters who are now present at the scene will be our primary focus. We will provide updates as more information becomes available.
