The wealthy enclave of Highland Park, Illinois, roughly 25 miles north of Chicago, had plans to host a “poverty simulation event” in which the participants could increase their “understanding and awareness of what it is like to live in poverty” — at a country club that was <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-poverty-simulation-highland-park-country-club-canceled-20230907-2voddjiukbdsvc2ybll3wrvihq-story.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">purchased</a> by the city and now serves as Highland Park’s senior center.
The heavily Democratic city — which gave Joe Biden over 80% of its vote in 2020 — stated on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/HighlandParkIL" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Facebook</a> it would join the Alliance for Human Services, Family Focus, Moraine Township, and the Highland Park Community Foundation to host the simulation on September 9 for two and a half hours at the Highland Park Country Club.
“Participants in this immersive experience will begin to experience what a ‘month’ in poverty feels like,” the city stated. “Participants are put into situations in which they do not have enough resources and are forced to make difficult choices that can negatively impact them and their families. The outcome is increased awareness of the need for resources to support those living in poverty to create a more resilient health, human, and education sector in our local area. Participation is free, but registration is required.”
The city was harshly criticized by some for the idea. “Wow. The privilege here is just beyond words. What a slap in the face to all of those who are struggling, especially in today’s economy,” one commenter stated.
“I have to echo the tone-deafness of this. Held at a country club of all places,” another commenter added, according to <a href="https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/highland-park-cancels-poverty-simulation-event-due-to-public-feedback/3223132/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBC Chicago</a>. “You&#8217;re literally holding an event to make rich people feel good about themselves and further stigmatize the experiences of people in poverty. It&#8217;s not even a fundraiser? A food drive? Something that would give anything back to the people whose experiences you&#8217;re pretending to care about?”
After the criticism was leveled, the city canceled the event.
In 2013, the city enacted an ordinance banning semiautomatic weapons and large-capacity magazines. On July 4, 2022, a 21-year-old gunman <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/victims-july-4th-highland-park-parade-shooting/story?id=86205738" target="_blank" rel="noopener">killed</a> seven people at an Independence Day parade in the city using a semiautomatic rifle. He fired 83 shots.

US-NEWS-CHICAGO-POVERTY-SIMULATION-TB

Affluent Heavily Democratic City Slammed After Planning ‘Poverty Simulation Event’

Affluent Heavily Democratic City Slammed After Planning 'Poverty Simulation Event'

Chicago

Highland Park

Poverty

The 21-year-old charged with killing 7 and injuring 48 more during a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois, has pleaded not guilty.
The suspect, who is not being named per Daily Wire policy, previously told police that he fired more than 80 shots from a rooftop above the parade route. On Wednesday, however, the suspect pleaded not guilty, Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/highland-park-shooting-suspect-robert-crimo-pleads?utm_source=facebook&amp;utm_medium=news_tab">reported</a>.
Last week, the suspect was indicted on 117 counts for the mass shooting, including 21 counts of first-degree murder – three counts per deceased victim – the outlet reported. The charges also include 48 counts of attempted murder and another 48 accounts of aggravated battery with a firearm – one count of each for every person injured in the attack.
Forty-seven people were named as victims in the filing charges (even though there are more victims), the judge said at the suspect’s Wednesday arraignment. Around two dozen family members and friends of the victims appeared in court at the time.
As The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-highland-park-mass-shooting-suspect-confesses-to-firing-more-than-80-shots-at-parade-attendees-prosecutors-say">reported</a>, Assistant State’s Attorney Ben Dillon told a judge at the Lake County Courthouse in early July that the suspect made “a voluntary statement confessing to his actions.”
Dillon further told the judge that the suspect confessed to finding a position on a rooftop along the parade route and “looked down his sights and opened fire.” Dillon added that police discovered 83 shell casings on that rooftop.
Defense attorney Scott Greenfield explained to The Daily Wire why someone who confessed in this matter would still plead not guilty.
“The defendant is always told to plead ‘not guilty’ at arraignment in order to allow his lawyer to engage in discovery, motion practice and plea negotiations,” Greenfield said. “It’s entirely normal and reflects nothing about ‘innocence’ per se, but allows the lawyer room to do his job of zealously representing the defendant, no matter how overwhelming the evidence of guilty.”
Five people died at the scene, while two more died after being taken to a hospital. Dozens more were hit during the attack.
The suspect was concerned that police would recognize him following the shooting, so he dressed in women’s clothing and makeup to cover his tattoos and avoid detection. He climbed down a fire escape and disappeared into the crowd, leaving the rifle he used on the rooftop. Police were able to identify him from surveillance cameras, however.
The suspect then went to his mother’s house and drove her car to Madison, Wisconsin, in a <a href="https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/crime/2022/07/05/suspected-highland-park-parade-gunman-traveled-madison-wisconsin-afterward-robert-crimo/7815967001/">possible</a> attempt to throw off authorities. The suspect left his phone, which was being tracked by police, in Madison, and then drove back to Chicago where he was arrested.
While the suspect had no criminal record, he had been on the police’s radar due to two calls from family members in 2019. The first call came in response to a suicide attempt, and the second came from a family member who said the suspect threatened to “kill everybody.” That family member also told police at the time that the suspect had a large collection of knives. Police removed 16 knives, one dagger, and one sword from the suspect’s home before filing a “clear and present danger report” with the Illinois State Police, the Chicago Sun-Times <a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/2022/7/6/23196101/highland-park-mass-shooting-suspect-robert-crimo-iii-ordered-held-without-bond">reported</a>.
Despite this determination, the suspect was able to purchase the firearms used in the Independence Day attack because his father co-signed his Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card, something all gun owners in Illinois must have, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/officials-reveal-how-highland-park-shooter-was-able-to-buy-guns-despite-threatening-to-kill-everyone">reported</a>. At the time the card was issued, the suspect was just 19, even though the minimum age in Illinois to purchase a firearm is 21.

Aftermath of Highland Park parade shooting

Highland Park Shooting Suspect — Who Confessed To Firing More Than 80 Rounds — Pleads Not Guilty

Highland Park Shooting Suspect - Who Confessed To Firing More Than 80 Rounds - Pleads Not Guilty

Illinois

Mass Shooting

Podcaster Megyn Kelly slammed the family members of the suspected Highland Park shooter and said they need to &#8220;be a better parent&#8221; because &#8220;our society depends on you.&#8221;
During Wednesday&#8217;s Sirius XM &#8220;The Megyn Kelly Show&#8221; <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izvtTKY6B4s">podcast</a>, the host spoke with Chicago-based columnist John Kass about the Independence Day tragedy. Kelly <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izvtTKY6B4s">claimed</a> that society is often hesitant to scrutinize mass shooters&#8217; families, and maybe reversing that tendency would stop future massacres.
&#8220;Well, it got me thinking, maybe we&#8217;re putting, maybe we&#8217;re too reluctant to take a hard look at the families who produce these mass shooters,&#8221; the host said. &#8220;If your son is a sociopath, that&#8217;s one thing. You can&#8217;t therapize him out of it.&#8221;
WATCH:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="How SHAME Can Help Reduce the Number of Mass Shootings, with John Kass" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/izvtTKY6B4s?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
&#8220;But if your son is somebody who was, a well child in terms of his brain chemistry,&#8221; she added. &#8220;And got bullied or just didn&#8217;t fit in. And became reclusive and became obsessed with online sites like 4-Chan or whatever it is, and you, in this case, understood he was suicidal as recently as 2019.&#8221;
&#8220;And then you assist him in getting a firearm [as has been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/officials-reveal-how-highland-park-shooter-was-able-to-buy-guns-despite-threatening-to-kill-everyone">reported</a>],&#8221; Kelly continued. &#8220;And the uncle, who I guess reportedly may have lived with them&#8230;He comes out and says &#8216;there were no signs&#8217; that would make him. Bulls***! Be a better uncle. Be a better parent. Our society depends on you. Our free society can only do so much.&#8221;
The former Fox News anchor added that we as a society can &#8220;do more,&#8221; but &#8220;there are limits to our powers.&#8221; She noted how the family of the alleged <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-highland-park-mass-shooting-suspect-confesses-to-firing-more-than-80-shots-at-parade-attendees-prosecutors-say">shooter</a> and needed to &#8220;pay attention.&#8221;
Kass replied that back in the day, when he was a young boy surrounded by Greek immigrants, there was a &#8220;feature&#8221; in this country called &#8220;shame.&#8221;
&#8220;Shame was the overriding cudgel when I grew up,&#8221; the columnist noted. &#8220;Shame was a real thing, and not only for Greeks but for everybody in this country. Like &#8216;what will the neighbors say&#8217;&#8230;I think that we&#8217;ve forgotten that.&#8221;
&#8220;That shame can inspire people to behave better and judgment is required,&#8221; he added.

Key Speakers At Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Conference

‘Bulls***’: Megyn Kelly Slams Family Of Highland Park Shooter, ‘Be A Better Parent,’ ‘Our Society Depends On You’

Megyn Kelly Slams Family Of Highland Park Shooter, ‘Be A Better Parent,’ ‘Our Society Depends On You'

Megyn Kelly

If the Highland Park parade murder suspect&#8217;s gun was legally purchased, as officials say, strict state and local gun laws were powerless to stop the Independence Day massacre.
The Daily Wire is not naming the suspect, or his family members, due to a company policy aimed at depriving mass shooters of the notoriety they often crave.
A gunman perched atop a local business killed seven and injured dozens more after opening fire on a Monday Independence Day parade in Highland Park, Illinois. The gun used, a Smith &amp; Wesson M&amp;P15 semi-automatic rifle, was purchased legally in 2020 despite the alleged killer’s documented history of threatening and suicidal actions.
Illinois has some of the strictest gun laws in the United States, and gun control groups consistently rank the state high on their lists for gun safety. <a href="https://www.everytown.org/state/illinois/">Everytown For Gun Safety</a> ranks Illinois sixth in the nation for “Gun Law Strength.” The <a href="https://giffords.org/lawcenter/gun-laws/states/illinois/">Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence</a>, a non-profit launched by former Arizona Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, scores Illinois gun laws an “A-.”
“Illinois has some of the strongest gun laws in the country, and much of its gun violence is due to guns trafficked in from neighboring states with weak laws,” the Giffords Law Center says of Illinois.
The gun used in the Highland Park mass shooting was bought legally under the current slate of Illinois gun restrictions. The alleged gunman also purchased several other firearms in addition to the Smith &amp; Wesson M&amp;P15 after obtaining a firearm owners identification (<a href="https://link.axios.com/click/28290243.95/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaXNwZnNiLmNvbS9QdWJsaWMvRk9JRC5hc3B4P3V0bV9zb3VyY2U9bmV3c2xldHRlciZ1dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9jYW1wYWlnbj1zZW5kdG9fbG9jYWxuZXdzbGV0dGVydGVzdCZzdHJlYW09dG9w/612428039e4cf5278e161cc7B4af4d0e6/email">FOID</a>) card from the Illinois State Police, according to authorities.
Lake County Deputy Sheriff Chris Covelli <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XX5StF0Cxk4">said</a> Tuesday that authorities dealt with the suspected gunman on at least two instances prior to the Highland Park massacre. In April 2019, Highland Park police visited the alleged gunman’s parents’ home, where the suspect lived, after receiving a tip that the suspect had attempted suicide.
“The matter was being handled by mental health professionals at that time. There was no law enforcement action to be taken, it was a mental health issue handled by those professionals,” Covelli said.
The second instance took place in September 2019 when a family member reported the suspect to police for saying “he was going to kill everyone,” Covelli said. Police officers again responded and confiscated a collection of 16 knives, a dagger, and a sword. No further police action was taken after members of the suspect’s family refused to sign an official police complaint.
“At that time, there was no probable cause to arrest. There were no complaints that were signed by any of the victims. The Highland Park Police Department did, however, immediately notify the Illinois State Police of the incident,” Covelli said.
Four months after the September incident, the Illinois State Police (ISP) approved a request from the suspected gunman for a FOID, necessary to purchase a firearm in Illinois. The suspect then bought several guns in 2020 and 2021, one of them being the firearm used in the Monday mass shooting.
ISP officials said that because the suspect was never arrested, law enforcement had no grounds to deny him the FOID. “No one, including family, was willing to move forward on a complaint” after the September 2019 incident, ISP officials told <a href="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2022/07/07/highland-park-shooter-robert-crimo-guns">Axios</a>. “There was insufficient basis to establish a clear and present danger and deny the FOID application.”
The suspect’s father sponsored and cosigned the suspect’s application for the FOID. The father&#8217;s attorney <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/criminal-justice/ct-highland-park-gun-trace-20220706-3z6krxp2irb4pi7cj6y3ak3r4e-story.html?utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=sendto_localnewslettertest&amp;stream=top">claimed</a> that the father was unaware of the September 2019 incident when he sponsored the FOID. According to ISD officials, the suspect&#8217;s father later retrieved the items confiscated in September 2019, claiming they “were his and they were being stored in the [son’s] closet for safekeeping.”
Because the shooting occurred after the suspect turned 21, the suspect&#8217;s father is free from liability as a sponsor and co-signer of the suspect’s FOID, however, Axios reported.
Illinois is one of 19 states in the U.S. that have a “red flag law” in effect, according to <a href="https://www.everytown.org/solutions/extreme-risk-laws/">Everytown</a>. The law allows family members or law enforcement to petition a judge to temporarily restrict someone’s ability to purchase a firearm if they are deemed a threat to the community or themselves. The law has its limits, however, as seen in Highland Park when the suspect&#8217;s family failed to raise the alarm over his repeated instances of mental instability.
In addition to the red flag law, Illinois mandates that gun purchasers apply for and receive a FOID, then pass a state background check in order to purchase a firearm from a federally licensed dealer.

Illinois’ Strict Gun Laws Failed To Stop The Suspected Highland Park Shooter

Gun Control

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/over-1-million-raised-for-2-year-old-who-lost-both-parents-in-highland-park-shooting">two-year-old boy</a> who lost both parents during the July 4 Highland Park, Illinois, mass <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/shooting-sends-4th-of-july-parade-into-chaos-multiple-feared-injured-or-dead">shooting</a> Monday was protected from the 80-round fusillade by his dying father, according to the boy’s grandfather. 
Kevin McCarthy, 37, died shielding young Aiden after a shooter climbed atop a business roof and fired into a crowd of parade goers Monday. Aiden’s mother Irina McCarthy, 35, also was among the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/highland-park-death-toll-rises-to-7-officials-release-victims-names">seven killed</a> in the mass shooting, tragically leaving the boy an orphan. 
Aiden’s maternal grandfather Michael Levberg <a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/2022/7/5/23195969/highland-park-mass-shooting-fourth-july-parade-irina-kevin-mccarthy-aiden-victims">told</a> the Chicago Sun-Times that the boy&#8217;s father “had Aiden under his body when he was shot.” The toddler was found “walking the street” alone after the shooting, according to his grandfather. 
When Levberg picked up Aiden from the police station, he said his grandson told him, “Mommy and Daddy are coming soon.” 
The boy’s paternal grandmother Margo McCarthy joined the family during the parade and was reportedly struck by a bullet in the ear and survived. 
“She was holding Aiden when the shooting started,” Margo’s cousin Montgomery Kersten told the Sun-Times. “As she fell, Aiden was under his father,” Kersten said. “I’m sure it was God looking out for him. The Lord saved Aiden and saved Margo.”
After Aiden was separated from his parents during the shooting, the two-year-old was taken by good Samaritans Dana and Greg Ring, who had found him with another person who was in shock, CBS Chicago <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/both-parents-of-toddler-killed-in-highland-park-mass-shooting/">reported</a>.
“​​She was physically shaking, her whole body, which told us that … she shouldn’t be having to hold, and/or deal with a little one at the same time,” Dana Ring explained.
The couple tried to locate Aiden’s parents but were unsuccessful, describing the scene as “carnage.” The Rings then took the child to a fire station where a police detective later picked him up and managed to locate his grandparents.
The day after the shooting, a GoFundMe was set up for Aiden and, within four hours, it surpassed $1 million in donations. 
“At two years old, Aiden is left in the unthinkable position; to grow up without his parents,” the GoFundMe <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/irina-and-kevin-mccarthy">page</a> organized by Irina Colon states. “Aiden will be cared for by his loving family and he will have a long road ahead to heal, find stability, and ultimately navigate life as an orphan. He is surrounded by a community of friends and extended family that will embrace him with love, and any means available to ensure he has everything he needs as he grows.”
The GoFundMe page says that the money will go toward helping “the caregivers who will be tasked with raising, caring for, and supporting Aiden as he and his support system embark on this unexpected journey.”
Aiden’s fundraiser has now raised over $2.5 million.

Highland Park Memorial

Highland Park Father Died Shielding Toddler Son During July 4 Mass Shooting, Family Says

Highland Park Father Died Shielding Two-Year-Old Son During July 4 Mass Shooting, Family Says

Shooting

The 21-year-old suspected of killing seven people and injuring dozens more over the weekend during Highland Park, Illinois’ July 4th parade has allegedly confessed, prosecutors say.
The suspect, who is not being named per Daily Wire policy, allegedly told police that he fired more than 80 shots from a rooftop above the parade route, the Chicago Sun-Times <a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/2022/7/6/23196101/highland-park-mass-shooting-suspect-robert-crimo-iii-ordered-held-without-bond">reported</a>. Assistant State’s Attorney Ben Dillon told the judge at the Lake County courthouse on Wednesday that the suspect made “a voluntary statement confessing to his actions.”
Dillon further told the judge that the suspect, who faces seven counts of first-degree murder, confessed to finding a position on a rooftop along the parade route and “looked down his sights and opened fire.” Dillon added that police discovered 83 shell casings on that rooftop.
Five people died at the scene, while two more died after being taken to a hospital. More than two dozen people were hit during the attack.
The suspect was concerned that police would recognize him following the shooting, so he dressed in women’s clothing and makeup to cover his tattoos and avoid detection. He climbed down a fire escape and disappeared into the crowd, leaving the rifle he used on the rooftop. Police were able to identify him from surveillance cameras, however.
The suspect then went to his mother’s house and drove her car to Madison, Wisconsin in a <a href="https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/crime/2022/07/05/suspected-highland-park-parade-gunman-traveled-madison-wisconsin-afterward-robert-crimo/7815967001/">possible</a> attempt to throw off authorities. The suspect left his phone, which was being tracked by police, in Madison, and then drove back to Chicago where he was arrested.
While the suspect had no criminal record, he had been on the police’s radar due to two calls from family members in 2019. The first call came in response to a suicide attempt, and the second came from a family member who said the suspect threatened to “kill everybody.” That family member also told police at the time that the suspect had a large collection of knives. Police removed 16 knives, one dagger, and one sword from the suspect’s home before filing a “clear and present danger report” with the Illinois State Police, the Sun-Times reported.
Despite this determination, the suspect was able to purchase the firearms used in the Independence Day attack because his father co-signed his Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card, something all gun owners in Illinois must have, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/officials-reveal-how-highland-park-shooter-was-able-to-buy-guns-despite-threatening-to-kill-everyone">reported</a>. At the time the card was issued, the suspect was just 19, even though the minimum age in Illinois to purchase a firearm is 21.
His bail was denied on Wednesday. While he is thus far charged with seven counts of first-degree murder, he also faces &#8220;dozens&#8221; more charges in relation to Monday&#8217;s shooting, according to Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart.
This report has been updated to include additional information.

Multiple people shot at July 4 parade in US state of Illinois

Highland Park Mass Shooting Suspect Confesses To Firing More Than 80 Shots At Parade Attendees, Prosecutors Say

Crime

Vice President Kamala Harris (D) faced backlash late Tuesday afternoon over a word salad moment that she had while delivering remarks in Highland Park, Illinois, following the tragic shooting that took place there on Independence Day.
On Monday, police say a 21-year-old white male opened fire on a parade of people who were celebrating the July 4 holiday, killing seven and wounding more than two dozen. The suspect was apprehended hours later and has been charged on numerous first-degree murder counts.
&#8220;We got to take this stuff seriously, as seriously as you are because you have been forced to have take this seriously,&#8221; Harris said.
&#8220;The whole nation should understand and have a level of empathy to understand that this could happen anywhere [to] any people in any community,&#8221; she continued. &#8220;And we should stand together and speak out about why it&#8217;s got to stop.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Vice President Kamala Harris just spoke at the scene of the Highland Park mass shooting. 
“We have to take this stuff seriously, as seriously as you are because you have been forced to take this seriously,” she said. <a href="https://t.co/vpLSydpJM0">pic.twitter.com/vpLSydpJM0</a>
&mdash; Jake Sheridan (@JakeSheridan_) <a href="https://twitter.com/JakeSheridan_/status/1544479335008051200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Notable responses to Harris&#8217; remarks included:
<ul>
<li>James Woods, actor: &#8220;Word Salad Annie.&#8221;</li>
<li>Nan Hayworth, M.D., former congresswoman: &#8220;Ms. Harris isn&#8217;t a voice for the voiceless, but she does speak for those who have absolutely nothing to say.&#8221;</li>
<li>John Cardillo, political commentator: &#8220;She has to have brain damage, right?&#8221;</li>
<li>Greg Price, political commentator: &#8220;Our first female VP! Chosen specifically because of her race/gender and literally sucks at this.&#8221;</li>
<li>Edward Ongweso Jr., reporter: &#8220;Don’t they have Obama’s speech writers on retainer or something, what’s up?&#8221;</li>
<li>Josh Olson, writer: &#8220;Ok, I give up. There ARE some jobs where you shouldn’t be allowed to drink on the clock.&#8221;</li>
<li>Adam Rosen, writer: &#8220;Aside from how insane this quote is, no politicians seem to take this seriously, they never do, or else it wouldn’t keep happening, just my thoughts.&#8221;</li>
<li>Jason Mattera, author: &#8220;She’s a walking billboard against diversity hires.&#8221;</li>
<li>Whitney McIntosh, editor: &#8220;Every new quote of hers makes less and less sense as a complete sentence.&#8221;</li>
<li>Arash Karami, writer: &#8220;My expectations for this administration was literally on the floor and they’re not even willing to meet me there.&#8221;</li>
<li>Shay Stewart Bouley, writer: &#8220;I&#8217;m sorry, but no. Just no.&#8221;</li>
<li>William Goodman, writer: &#8220;What the actual f***, man.&#8221;</li>
</ul>
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/whats-wrong-with-this-picture-giant-typo-looms-behind-kamala-during-chat-at-new-orleans-culture-fest">What’s Wrong With This Picture? Giant Typo Looms Behind Kamala During Chat At New Orleans Culture Fest</a>

At Least 7 Dead After Shooting At Fourth Of July Parade In Chicago Suburb

Kamala Harris Slammed Over Remarks In Highland Park: ‘Word Salad Annie’

Kamala Harris Slammed Over Remarks In Highland Park

Kamala Harris

The parents of the 22-year-old suspect who is accused of murdering seven people and wounding more than two dozen during an attack on an Independence Day parade in Highland Park, Illinois, have released a statement following the tragedy.
The parents of the shooter, whom The Daily Wire is not naming due to company policy about not giving notoriety to mass killers because <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/why-daily-wire-will-no-longer-publish-names-or-ben-shapiro">studies</a> suggest that the media’s coverage of mass shootings sparks more mass shootings, released the statement through their attorney, Steve Greenberg.
“We are all mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, and this is a terrible tragedy for many families, the victims, the paradegoers, the community, and our own,” the parents said. “Our hearts, thoughts and prayers go out to everybody.”
The suspect was able to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/officials-reveal-how-highland-park-shooter-was-able-to-buy-guns-despite-threatening-to-kill-everyone">purchase the firearms</a> used in the attack because his father co-signed his Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card, which gun owners must have in that state.
The revelation comes after local law enforcement officials revealed earlier in the day that the suspect had already been on law enforcement’s radar due to a pair of incidents that happened back in 2019, including the suspect attempting suicide followed by an alleged threat to “kill everyone” several months later.
“At the time of the incident, [the suspect] did not have a FOID card to revoke, and did not have a pending FOID application to deny,” Fox 32 <a href="https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/highland-park-shooting-police-to-provide-update-after-7th-victim-dies-in-parade-shooting">reported</a>. “Then, in December 2019, at 19, [the suspect] applied for a FOID card and was sponsored by his father. At the time, [Illinois State Police] said there were insufficient bases to establish a clear and present danger and deny the application.”‘
Axios reporter Monica Eng said that ISP did not have the basis to deny the suspect the FOID card because the suspect’s family did not press charges against him after he allegedly threatened to “kill everyone.”
Lake County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Christopher Covelli <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-police-were-told-in-2019-that-parade-shooter-vowed-to-kill-everyone-did-not-arrest-him">detailed</a> at a press conference earlier in the day the incidents from 2019 that law enforcement officials responded to.
“I’m going to relay some information from two prior instances that occurred here in Highland Park,” Covelli said. “The first was in April of 2019. An individual contacted Highland Park Police Department a week after learning of [the suspect] attempting suicide. This was a delayed report, so Highland Park still responded to the residence a week later, spoke with [the suspect], spoke with [the suspect’s] parents, and the matter was being handled by mental health professionals at that time, there was no law enforcement action to be taken. It was a mental health issue and handled by those professionals.”
“The second occurred in September of 2019,” Covelli continued. “A family member reported that [the suspect] said he was going to kill everyone and [the suspect] had a collection of knives. The police responded to his residence, the police removed 16 knives, a dagger, and a sword from [the suspect’s] home. At that time, there was no probable cause to arrest, there were no complaints that were signed by any of the victims. The Highland Park Police Department, however, did immediately notify the Illinois State Police of the incident.”

At Least 6 Dead After Shooting At Fourth Of July Parade In Chicago Suburb

Parents Of Highland Park Parade Shooting Suspect Respond To The Massacre

Kevin and Irina McCarthy’s lives tragically ended Monday after a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/shooting-sends-4th-of-july-parade-into-chaos-multiple-feared-injured-or-dead">shooter</a> allegedly climbed to the rooftop of a Highland Park, Illinois, building and gunned down a crowd celebrating the July Fourth holiday. Their deaths left two-year-old Aiden orphaned.
Aiden was separated from his parents Kevin, 37, and Irina, 35, as dozens fled the chaotic scene while gunfire rained down on them. The parents were among the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/highland-park-death-toll-rises-to-7-officials-release-victims-names">seven killed</a> in the shooting. Just a day after the tragedy, a GoFundMe was set up for the orphaned toddler, and within four hours, it surpassed $1 million in donations.
“At two years old, Aiden is left in the unthinkable position; to grow up without his parents,” the GoFundMe <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/irina-and-kevin-mccarthy">page</a> organized by Irina Colon states. “Aiden will be cared for by his loving family and he will have a long road ahead to heal, find stability, and ultimately navigate life as an orphan. He is surrounded by a community of friends and extended family that will embrace him with love, and any means available to ensure he has everything he needs as he grows.”
After Aiden was separated from his parents during the shooting, the two-year-old was taken by strangers Dana and Greg Ring, who had found him with another stranger who was in shock, CBS Chicago <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/both-parents-of-toddler-killed-in-highland-park-mass-shooting/">reported</a>.
“​​She was physically shaking, her whole body, which told us that &#8230; she shouldn&#8217;t be having to hold, and/or deal with a little one at the same time,” Dana Ring explained.
The couple tried to locate Aiden’s parents but were unsuccessful, describing the scene as “carnage.&#8221; Dana and Greg then took the unharmed child to a fire station where a police detective later picked him up and placed him in the care of his grandparents at the hospital.
At the time of publishing, Aiden’s fundraiser had reached $1.3 million. The GoFundMe page says that the money will go toward helping “the caregivers who will be tasked with raising, caring for, and supporting Aiden as he and his support system embark on this unexpected journey.”

Highland Park Shooting

Over $1 Million Raised For 2-Year-Old Who Lost Both Parents In Highland Park Shooting

Fundraiser For 2-Year-Old Who Lost Both Parents In Highland Park Shooting Hits Over $1 Million

GoFundMe

The man accused of shooting dozens of people at a parade in Illinois on Independence Day was able to purchase the firearms used in the attack because his father co-signed his Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card, which gun owners must have in that state.
The revelation comes after local law enforcement officials revealed earlier in the day that the suspect had already been on law enforcement&#8217;s radar due to a pair of incidents that happened back in 2019, including the suspect attempting suicide followed by an alleged threat to &#8220;kill everyone&#8221; several months later.
The Daily Wire is not naming the suspect due to company policy about not giving notoriety to mass killers because <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/why-daily-wire-will-no-longer-publish-names-or-ben-shapiro">studies</a> suggest that the media’s coverage of mass shootings sparks more mass shootings.
&#8220;At the time of the incident, [the suspect] did not have a FOID card to revoke, and did not have a pending FOID application to deny,&#8221; Fox 32 <a href="https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/highland-park-shooting-police-to-provide-update-after-7th-victim-dies-in-parade-shooting">reported</a>. &#8220;Then, in December 2019, at 19, [the suspect] applied for a FOID card and was sponsored by his father. At the time, [Illinois State Police] said there were insufficient bases to establish a clear and present danger and deny the application.&#8221;&#8216;
Axios reporter Monica Eng said that ISP did not have the basis to deny the suspect the FOID card because the suspect&#8217;s family did not press charges against him after he allegedly threatened to &#8220;kill everyone.&#8221;
Lake County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Christopher Covelli <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-police-were-told-in-2019-that-parade-shooter-vowed-to-kill-everyone-did-not-arrest-him">detailed</a> at a press conference earlier in the day the incidents from 2019 that law enforcement officials responded to.
“I’m going to relay some information from two prior instances that occurred here in Highland Park,” Covelli said. “The first was in April of 2019. An individual contacted Highland Park Police Department a week after learning of [the suspect] attempting suicide. This was a delayed report, so Highland Park still responded to the residence a week later, spoke with [the suspect], spoke with [the suspect’s] parents, and the matter was being handled by mental health professionals at that time, there was no law enforcement action to be taken. It was a mental health issue and handled by those professionals.”
“The second occurred in September of 2019,” Covelli continued. “A family member reported that [the suspect] said he was going to kill everyone and [the suspect] had a collection of knives. The police responded to his residence, the police removed 16 knives, a dagger, and a sword from [the suspect’s] home. At that time, there was no probable cause to arrest, there were no complaints that were signed by any of the victims. The Highland Park Police Department, however, did immediately notify the Illinois State Police of the incident.”
This report has been updated to include additional information.

US-NEWS-CHICAGO-PARADE-SHOOTING-4-TB

Officials Reveal How Highland Park Shooter Was Able To Buy Guns Despite Threatening To ‘Kill Everyone’

Highland Park Shooter’s Father Sponsored Firearm Owners Identification Card Application

Guns

Police

A seventh victim of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/highland-park">Highland Park</a> mass shooting at an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/4th-of-july">Independence Day</a> parade died on Tuesday, bringing the total number of deceased and injured from the incident to 53, officials said.
While the name of the seventh victim is still unknown, officials revealed during a press conference on Tuesday the names of the six others who died in the Fourth of July tragedy.
Five victims were from Highland Park, including 64-year-old Katherine Goldstein, 35-year-old Irina McCarthy, 37-year-old Kevin McCarthy, 63-year-old Jacki Sundheim, and 88-year-old Stephen Straus.
Husband and wife Kevin and Irina McCarthy were among the seven killed during the Fourth of July tragedy. At some point during the chaos, they were separated from their two-year-old son, Aiden, CBS 2 <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/both-parents-of-toddler-killed-in-highland-park-mass-shooting/">reported</a>.
Dana and Greg Ring found the child with a stranger, who the couple said was in shock.
&#8220;She was physically shaking, her whole body,&#8221; Dana Ring told CBS 2. &#8220;Which told us that &#8230; she shouldn&#8217;t be having to hold, and/or deal with a little one at the same time.&#8221;
Greg said he took Aiden, put him in his arms, and searched for the parents before taking him to the fire department. Authorities later picked up Aiden and reunited him with his grandparents at the hospital.
The child was not harmed.
Also killed was Jacki Sundheim, a lifelong congregant and &#8220;beloved&#8221; staff member at nearby North Shore Congregation Israel, which announced her death on its website.
The Chicago Sun-Times <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/highland-park-july-fourth-shooting-live-updates-minneapolis-philadelphia-1721795">reported</a> that Sundheim taught preschool and coordinated events on staff at the congregation.
The congregation said in a statement about Sundheim that her &#8220;work, kindness, and warmth touched us all,&#8221; and she spent decades working &#8220;with tireless dedication.&#8221;
The sixth victim — 78-year-old Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza — lived in Morelos, Mexico.
The Chicago Sun-Times <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/highland-park-july-fourth-shooting-live-updates-minneapolis-philadelphia-1721795">reported</a> that Zaragoza, who was shot and killed at the scene, came to Highland Park to visit his family. His granddaughter, Xochil Toledo, told the Sun-Times that he spent most of his life in Morelos, Mexico. She remembers looking over at her grandfather as a band passed them.
&#8220;He was so happy,&#8221; she said. &#8220;Happy to be living in the moment.&#8221;
She said the suspect shot her father in the arm as he attempted to save her grandfather. Her boyfriend was also shot by the suspect in the back and was later taken to the hospital.
Mayor Nancy Rotering spoke during the press conference on Tuesday, offering her condolences.
&#8220;The Highland Park community, like so many before us, is devastated,&#8221; Rotering told reporters. &#8220;It is impossible to imagine the pain of this kind of tragedy until it happens in your backyard.&#8221;
Rotering said officials have focused on the perpetrator over the last 36 hours, but as the names and faces of those lost from yesterday&#8217;s &#8220;heinous crime” are made known, the focus shifts to the victims and those left behind.
&#8220;This crisis has devastated entire families and our community in a single moment, and we know it will take time to heal on behalf of the community and the world that mourns alongside us,&#8221; she said. &#8220;And while we&#8217;re hurting, we know that we will continue to come together and support each other as we always do in difficult times.&#8221;
&#8220;We are Highland Park strong,” she added.
The shooting began shortly after the parade got underway, and multiple people were reportedly struck. A Chicago Sun-Times reporter saw several bloodied bodies covered with blankets and other people who were visibly wounded at the scene.
According to a <a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/2022/7/4/23194354/highland-park-fourth-july-parade-gunfire">report</a> from the Sun-Times, &#8220;The Highland Park Fourth of July parade ended in panic when shots were fired about 10 minutes after the parade kicked off at 10 a.m. Monday, striking an unknown number of parade-goers and sending hundreds of people running for safety.&#8221;
&#8220;I heard 20 to 25 shots, which were in rapid succession. So it couldn&#8217;t have been just a handgun or a shotgun,&#8221; Miles Zaremski, a Highland Park resident and witness to the shooting, told the Sun-Times. Zaremski also said that among the wounded, he had seen &#8220;a woman covered with blood. … She did not survive.&#8221;
NBC 5 Chicago <a href="https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/these-are-the-names-of-the-highland-park-parade-shooting-victims-idd-so-far/2874101/">reported</a> that an official said the gunmen fired 70 rounds into the parade from a legally purchased high-powered rifle similar to an AR-15. Authorities received a tip from a North Chicago resident who spotted the suspect&#8217;s car. The suspect tried to escape, but officers eventually took him into custody and recovered another rifle from his mother&#8217;s car.
Officials said that the suspect had planned the attack for weeks, but they had not discovered a motive.
Initial reports identified the suspect as a 22-year-old male. However, an FBI bulletin and the suspect&#8217;s social media indicate he is 21.
Lake County Major Crime Task Force spokesperson Sgt. Christopher Covelli said the suspect wore women&#8217;s clothing during the mass shooting.
&#8220;During the attack, [the suspect] was dressed in women&#8217;s clothing,&#8221; said Sgt. Christopher Covelli, of the Lake County Major Crime Task Force, FOX 10 <a href="https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/highland-park-parade-shooting-gunman-wore-womens-clothing">reported</a>.
Covelli said he anticipates an announcement of charges for the suspect during the State Attorney&#8217;s Office press conference scheduled on Tuesday evening.
Previous articles included the suspect&#8217;s name because he was still at large, but due to The Daily Wire&#8217;s policy against publishing the names of mass shooters, his name will be redacted in all future stories.

7 Dead After Shooting At Fourth Of July Parade In Chicago Suburb

Highland Park Death Toll Rises To 7, Officials Release Victims’ Names

Fourth of July

Gun Violence

The 21-year-old suspect who allegedly opened fire on Independence Day parade attendees at Highland Park, Illinois, on Monday, was wearing women&#8217;s clothing during the mass shooting, police said Tuesday.
&#8220;During the attack, [redacted] was dressed in women&#8217;s clothing,&#8221; said Sgt. Christopher Covelli, of the Lake County Major Crime Task Force, FOX 10 <a href="https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/highland-park-parade-shooting-gunman-wore-womens-clothing">reported</a>.
Per Daily Wire policy, the suspected shooter will not be named.
&#8220;Investigators do believe he did this to conceal his facial tattoos and his identity and help him during the escape with the other people who were fleeing the chaos,&#8221; Covelli added.
After the attack, the shooter walked to his mother&#8217;s house, where he borrowed her vehicle, the report noted. He was later spotted while driving her car by a member of the community and captured by police.
The &#8220;random&#8221; and &#8220;intentional&#8221; attack left six dead and dozens more hospitalized.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/heres-what-we-know-about-the-highland-park-parade-shooter">The Daily Wire</a> reported Monday that the FBI described the then-person of interest as a white male with brown hair, weighing 120 pounds and standing 5’11” tall. He was also said to have several tattoos, including one on his right cheek, his neck, and cursive script about his left eyebrow.
The suspect reportedly has a YouTube page under the handle “Awake the Rapper.” One <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%22Robert%20%22Bobby%22%20E.%20Crimo%20III%22&amp;src=trend_click&amp;pt=1544107635644973056&amp;vertical=trends">video</a> from the suspect shows a pencil drawing of a person gunning down a crowd in between a montage of shots featuring the suspect backed by cinematic-like music.
Other documentation of the suspect shows him wearing a Trump flag around his neck, wearing a black hat with FBI embroidered in white, and smoking Camel cigarettes, The Daily Wire noted. He can also be seen at a Trump parade, where he was <a href="https://twitter.com/JennywasJenny/status/1544126657191198720">dressed</a> like “Waldo” from the “Where’s Waldo” cartoon book series.
Notably, though, a Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/stillgray/status/1544113113724698624">account</a> using the alleged suspect’s artist name shows “likes” indicating support for arresting Trump supporters who protested the results of the 2020 Presidential Election and rioted at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
“He’s a quiet kid,” the suspect&#8217;s uncle told CNN on Monday. “He’s usually on his own. He’s a lonely, quiet person. He keeps everything to himself.”
A previous version of this article said the suspect is 22-years-old. He is 21-years-old. 
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/author/brandon-drey">Brandon Drey</a> contributed to this report 
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/heres-what-we-know-about-the-highland-park-parade-shooter">Here’s What We Know About The Alleged Highland Park Parade Shooter</a>

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