Chicago: Shooter, who killed 6 at July 4 parade, arrested
The US police arrested a 22-year-old man who allegedly opened fire at a July 4 parade in Chicago's Highland Park, killing six and wounding two dozen others on Monday. Before the arrest, Robert E "Bobby" Crimo III was described as a "person of interest" since he remained on the loose hours later as authorities released his picture. A rifle was recovered from the site.
- In a nation with the highest per capita gun ownership in the world and the highest annual number of mass shootings among wealthy nations, the United States Senate passed the most significant gun legislation in nearly three decades on June 24.
- It followed the deadly mass shootings at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, and an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, in May.
The shooter used a high-powered rifle and shot at the parade from the rooftop of a building. Calling the shooting "very random, very intentional," the police said there was no word on his motivation yet. According to a video by the Chicago affiliate of ABC News, Crimo was later seen exiting a vehicle with his hands raised even as the police surrounded the car.
The shooter allegedly opened fire on the parade around 10:00 am (local time), which sent hundreds of people fleeing from the Independence Day parade. There was total chaos with onlookers running for their lives, leaving a parade route strewn with chairs, personal belongings, and abandoned balloons. All the six who died were adults and the injured, including several kids, were taken to the hospital.
US President Joe Biden expressed shock over the "senseless gun violence" that took place in Highland Park, Illinois. "Jill and I are shocked by the senseless gun violence that has yet again brought grief to an American community on this Independence Day. As always, we are grateful for the first responders and law enforcement on the scene," Biden said in a statement.
Notably, the National Rifle Association (NRA) is considered to be the US's most powerful gun rights organization. It has rejected most initiatives to prevent mass shootings, including expanding background checks on gun purchases. However, its influence has waned as it became entangled in legal battles linked to a corruption scandal. As per Gun Violence Archive, the US witnessed nearly 310 mass shootings this year.
