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CNN
24-04-2025
- CNN
Gunman in 2022 mass shooting at suburban Chicago July Fourth parade sentenced to life in prison
The suburban Chicago man who admitted to fatally shooting seven people and wounding dozens of others during a 2022 Independence Day parade was sentenced Thursday to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Lake County Judge Victoria Rossetti handed down seven consecutive sentences of natural life in prison without the possibility of parole, as prosecutors requested, for the first-degree murder charges after hearing emotional testimony from survivors and the relatives of those killed in the shooting. After years of unpredictable legal proceedings, Robert E. Crimo III, 24, changed his plea to guilty last month just moments before opening statements at his trial. Dozens were wounded in the shooting in the suburb about 30 miles north of Chicago. They ranged in age from their 80s to an 8-year-old boy who was left partially paralyzed. Crimo refused to attend his sentencing hearing Wednesday or Thursday despite a judge's previous warnings that the case would proceed without him. Crimo also declined to provide a written statement in court ahead of sentencing. Survivors and witnesses told the court about how their lives have changed since he killed seven people and hurt dozens more. Keely Roberts, whose 8-year-old son Cooper Roberts is paralyzed from the waist down, called Crimo 'cowardly' for not attending. 'You will not hear my grief,' she said. 'You are now irrelevant.' It's unusual for defendants to skip trial, especially sentencing, but constitutionally they have the right not to attend, said David Erickson, a former state appellate judge who teaches at Chicago Kent College of Law. Often in violent cases, defendants will explain themselves or profess innocence before sentencing. 'Certainly in crimes of violence it's not unusual for a defendant to show some remorse,' Erickson said. Some survivors called Crimo a 'monster' while another cited their faith in forgiving him. Many described feeling empty or facing deep sadness since the shooting. Some no longer attend public gatherings. Erica Weeder described how she and her husband were injured and helpless on the ground, watching others bleed out. Weeder went through weeks of medical care to remove shrapnel from her body while her husband was shot in the elbow, the bullet lodged there for weeks. 'A mass shooting is like a bomb blast throughout a community,' she said. Prosecutors argued that Crimo was fully in control of his actions as he fired 83 shots over 40 seconds. 'This was his evil plan. He intended to end the happiness that he saw around him,' said Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart. Crimo pleaded guilty to 21 counts of first-degree murder — three counts for each person killed — and 48 counts of attempted murder. Each first-degree murder count carries a maximum life sentence in Illinois. But even in his absence, prosecutors made sure Crimo's own were heard. They used the first day of the hearing to reveal parts of the trove of evidence prepared for trial, including key parts of Crimo's videotaped confession. In a recording of the police interview, which defense attorneys tried to have thrown out, a blank-faced Crimo slumped in a chair with arms crossed. He told officers that he briefly reconsidered the attack because of a problem with the gun. He later fixed the weapon. 'I walked up the stairs, jumped on the roof and opened fire,' he said. Crimo was calm and cavalier, even laughing and joking, said Brian Bodden, a Highland Park police officer. Prosecutors recreated the horror of the day in the upscale community of about 30,000 people north of Chicago, showing video taken along the parade route and asking witnesses to recount the terrifying aftermath of the attack. In one video, a marching band played 'You're a Grand Old Flag' before shots were fired. Musicians carrying instruments ran as emergency sirens blared, fleeing along with other attendees. Many cried during the testimony, while others put their arms around each other inside the Lake County courtroom. The seven people killed were Katherine Goldstein, 64; Jacquelyn Sundheim, 63; Stephen Straus, 88; Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza, 78; Eduardo Uvaldo, 69; and married couple Kevin McCarthy, 37, and Irina McCarthy, 35. Crimo's father, Robert Crimo Jr., a former mayoral candidate, was charged in connection with how his son obtained a gun license. He pleaded guilty in 2023 to seven misdemeanor counts of reckless conduct. He served less than two months in jail. This story has been updated with additional information.
Global News
24-04-2025
- Global News
Gunman gets 7 life sentences for 2022 shooting at Illinois July 4 parade
The suburban Chicago man who admitted to fatally shooting seven people and wounding dozens of others during a 2022 Independence Day parade was sentenced Thursday to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Lake County Judge Victoria Rossetti handed down seven consecutive sentences of life in prison, as prosecutors requested, for the first-degree murder charges after hearing emotional testimony from survivors and the relatives of those killed in the shooting. She also sentenced Robert E. Crimo III, 24, to 50 years on each of the 48 counts of attempted murder to be served consecutively to the seven life sentences. 'This court has absolutely no words that could adequately describe and capture the horror and pain that was inflicted on July 4th,' the judge said. Crimo 'has a complete disregard for human life' and 'is irretrievably depraved, permanently incorrigible, irreparably corrupt and beyond any rehabilitation,' she said. Story continues below advertisement The judge briefly paused the sentencing hearing when she received word that Crimo wanted to return to the courtroom. However, his defense attorneys said it was for an unrelated issue and Crimo did not have a statement for the court. The case has moved slowly, in part because Crimo backed out of a plea deal, fired his public defenders and reversed his decision to represent himself. He signed his name and Donald Trump's when he waived his right to trial. He also changed his plea to guilty last month just moments before opening statements at his trial. Dozens were wounded in the shooting in the suburb north of Chicago. They ranged in age from their 80s to an 8-year-old boy who was left paralyzed from the waist down. 2:04 Accused Illinois gunman faces 7 first-degree murder charges Rossetti has warned Crimo that the case would proceed without him. Story continues below advertisement 'He's always known that he was facing life in prison,' said Crimo's public defender, Gregory Ticsay. 'He has spared this community the lengthy trial.' Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Survivors and witnesses told the court about how their lives have changed since he killed seven people and hurt dozens more. Keely Roberts, whose 8-year-old son Cooper Roberts was the youngest victim, called Crimo 'cowardly' for not attending Wednesday's hearing. 'You will not hear my grief,' she said. 'You are now irrelevant.' It's unusual for defendants to skip trial, especially sentencing, but constitutionally they have the right not to attend, said David Erickson, a former state appellate judge who teaches at Chicago Kent College of Law. Often in violent cases, defendants will explain themselves or profess innocence before sentencing. 'Certainly in crimes of violence it's not unusual for a defendant to show some remorse,' Erickson said. Some survivors called Crimo a 'monster' while another cited their faith in forgiving him. Many described feeling empty or facing deep sadness since the shooting. Some no longer attend public gatherings. Erica Weeder described how she and her husband were injured and helpless on the ground, watching others bleed out. For weeks, there was shrapnel in her body and a bullet lodged in her husband's elbow. Story continues below advertisement 'A mass shooting is like a bomb blast throughout a community,' she said. 1:01 Highland Park shooting: Suspect to be held without bond following 7 counts of 1st-degree murder charges Prosecutors argued that Crimo was fully in control of his actions as he fired 83 shots over 40 seconds. 'This was his evil plan. He intended to end the happiness that he saw around him,' said Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart. He said that Crimo 'sent forth an ocean of pain.' 'He was arrogant,' Rinehart said. 'He was uncaring. He was smiling. He was laughing. He was ready with a metaphor. He was merciless.' Prosecutors on Wednesday revealed parts of the trove of evidence prepared for trial, including key parts of Crimo's videotaped confession. In the interview, which defense attorneys tried to have thrown out, a blank-faced Crimo slumped in a chair with arms crossed. He told officers that he briefly reconsidered the attack because of a problem with the gun. He later fixed the weapon. Story continues below advertisement 'I walked up the stairs, jumped on the roof and opened fire,' he said. Crimo was calm and cavalier, even laughing and joking, said Brian Bodden, a Highland Park police officer. 1:26 Suspected gunman planned attack 'for several weeks' before Fourth of July parade shooting, police say Prosecutors recreated the horror of the day in the upscale community of about 30,000 people north of Chicago, showing video and asking witnesses to recount the terrifying aftermath of the attack. In one video, a marching band played 'You're a Grand Old Flag' before shots were fired. Musicians carrying instruments ran as emergency sirens blared. Many cried during the testimony, while others put their arms around each other inside the Lake County courtroom. The seven people killed were Katherine Goldstein, 64; Jacquelyn Sundheim, 63; Stephen Straus, 88; Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza, 78; Eduardo Uvaldo, 69; and married couple Kevin McCarthy, 37, and Irina McCarthy, 35. Story continues below advertisement Crimo's father, Robert Crimo Jr., a former mayoral candidate, served less than two months in jail on charges in connection with how his son obtained a gun license. Associated Press writer Scott Bauer contributed to this report from Madison, Wisconsin.
Hindustan Times
24-04-2025
- Hindustan Times
Who is Robert Crimo III? Highland Park gunman sentenced to life for Chicago July 4 parade shooting
WAUKEGAN, Ill. (AP) — The suburban Chicago man who admitted to fatally shooting seven people and wounding dozens of others during a 2022 Independence Day parade was sentenced Thursday to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Lake County Judge Victoria Rossetti handed down seven consecutive sentences of life in prison, as prosecutors requested, for the first-degree murder charges after hearing emotional testimony from survivors and the relatives of those killed in the shooting. She also sentenced Crimo to 50 years on each of the 48 counts of attempted murder to be served consecutively to the seven life sentences. 'This court has absolutely no words that could adequately describe and capture the horror and pain that was inflicted on July 4th,' the judge said. Robert E. Crimo III, 24, 'has a complete disregard for human life' and 'is irretrievably depraved, permanently incorrigible, irreparably corrupt and beyond any rehabilitation," she said. The judge briefly paused the sentencing hearing when she received word that Crimo wanted to return to the courtroom. However, his defense attorneys said it was for an unrelated issue and Crimo did not have a statement for the court. The case has moved slowly, in part because Crimo backed out of a plea deal, fired his public defenders and reversed his decision to represent himself. He signed his name and Donald Trump's when he waived his right to trial. He also changed his plea to guilty last month just moments before opening statements at his trial. Dozens were wounded in the shooting in the suburb north of Chicago. They ranged in age from their 80s to an 8-year-old boy who was left paralyzed from the waist down. Rossetti has warned Crimo that the case would proceed without him. 'He's always known that he was facing life in prison,' said Crimo's public defender, Gregory Ticsay. 'He has spared this community the lengthy trial.' Survivors and witnesses told the court about how their lives have changed since he killed seven people and hurt dozens more. Keely Roberts, whose 8-year-old son Cooper Roberts was the youngest victim, called Crimo 'cowardly' for not attending Wednesday's hearing. 'You will not hear my grief,' she said. 'You are now irrelevant.' It's unusual for defendants to skip trial, especially sentencing, but constitutionally they have the right not to attend, said David Erickson, a former state appellate judge who teaches at Chicago Kent College of Law. Often in violent cases, defendants will explain themselves or profess innocence before sentencing. 'Certainly in crimes of violence it's not unusual for a defendant to show some remorse,' Erickson said. Also Read: Toronto Pearson airport shooting and lockdown: What we know so far Some survivors called Crimo a 'monster' while another cited their faith in forgiving him. Many described feeling empty or facing deep sadness since the shooting. Some no longer attend public gatherings. Erica Weeder described how she and her husband were injured and helpless on the ground, watching others bleed out. For weeks, there was shrapnel in her body and a bullet lodged in her husband's elbow. 'A mass shooting is like a bomb blast throughout a community,' she said. Prosecutors argued that Crimo was fully in control of his actions as he fired 83 shots over 40 seconds. 'This was his evil plan. He intended to end the happiness that he saw around him,' said Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart. He said that Crimo 'sent forth an ocean of pain.' 'He was arrogant," Rinehart said. "He was uncaring. He was smiling. He was laughing. He was ready with a metaphor. He was merciless.' Prosecutors on Wednesday revealed parts of the trove of evidence prepared for trial, including key parts of Crimo's videotaped confession. In the interview, which defense attorneys tried to have thrown out, a blank-faced Crimo slumped in a chair with arms crossed. He told officers that he briefly reconsidered the attack because of a problem with the gun. He later fixed the weapon. 'I walked up the stairs, jumped on the roof and opened fire,' he said. Crimo was calm and cavalier, even laughing and joking, said Brian Bodden, a Highland Park police officer. Prosecutors recreated the horror of the day in the upscale community of about 30,000 people north of Chicago, showing video and asking witnesses to recount the terrifying aftermath of the attack. In one video, a marching band played 'You're a Grand Old Flag' before shots were fired. Musicians carrying instruments ran as emergency sirens blared. Many cried during the testimony, while others put their arms around each other inside the Lake County courtroom. The seven people killed were Katherine Goldstein, 64; Jacquelyn Sundheim, 63; Stephen Straus, 88; Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza, 78; Eduardo Uvaldo, 69; and married couple Kevin McCarthy, 37, and Irina McCarthy, 35. Crimo's father, Robert Crimo Jr., a former mayoral candidate, served less than two months in jail on charges in connection with how his son obtained a gun license.
Irish Examiner
24-04-2025
- Irish Examiner
Chicago gunman jailed for life for killing seven at Independence Day parade
A Chicago man who admitted shooting dead seven people and wounding dozens of others during a 2022 Independence Day parade has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Lake County Judge Victoria Rossetti handed down seven consecutive sentences of life in prison, as prosecutors requested, for the first-degree murder charges after hearing emotional testimony from survivors and the relatives of those killed. 'This court has absolutely no words that could adequately describe and capture the horror and pain that was inflicted on July 4th,' the judge said. Robert Crimo III, 24, 'has a complete disregard for human life' and 'is irretrievably depraved, permanently incorrigible, irreparably corrupt and beyond any rehabilitation', she said. Elizabeth Turnipseed walks to her seat after reading a victim impact statement (Nam Y. Huh/AP) After years of unpredictable legal proceedings, Crimo changed his plea to guilty last month just moments before opening statements at his trial. Dozens were wounded in the shooting in the suburb north of Chicago. They ranged in age from their 80s to an eight-year-old boy who was left paralysed from the waist down. Crimo refused to attend his sentencing hearing on Wednesday or Thursday despite Judge Rossetti's previous warnings that the case would proceed without him. Crimo also declined to provide a written statement in court ahead of sentencing. 'He's always known that he was facing life in prison,' said Crimo's public defender Gregory Ticsay. 'He has spared this community the lengthy trial.' Survivors and witnesses told the court about how their lives have changed since he killed seven people and hurt dozens more. Keely Roberts, whose eight-year-old son Cooper Roberts was the youngest victim, called Crimo 'cowardly' for not attending. 'You will not hear my grief,' she said. 'You are now irrelevant.' It is unusual for defendants to skip trial, especially sentencing, but constitutionally they have the right not to attend, said David Erickson, a former state appellate judge who teaches at Chicago Kent College of Law. Often in violent cases, defendants will explain themselves or profess innocence before sentencing. 'Certainly in crimes of violence it's not unusual for a defendant to show some remorse,' Mr Erickson said. Some survivors called Crimo a 'monster' while another cited their faith in forgiving him. Many described feeling empty or facing deep sadness since the shooting. Some no longer attend public gatherings. Erica Weeder described how she and her husband were injured and helpless on the ground, watching others bleed to death. For weeks, there was shrapnel in her body and a bullet lodged in her husband's elbow. 'A mass shooting is like a bomb blast throughout a community,' she said. Prosecutors argued that Crimo was fully in control of his actions as he fired 83 shots over 40 seconds. Cynthia Straus wipes her eyes after reading a victim impact statement (Nam Y. Huh/AP) 'This was his evil plan. He intended to end the happiness that he saw around him,' said Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart. Crimo pleaded guilty to 21 counts of first-degree murder — three counts for each person killed — and 48 counts of attempted murder. Each first-degree murder count carries a maximum life sentence in Illinois. Even in his absence, prosecutors made sure Crimo's own words were heard on Wednesday, revealing parts of the trove of evidence prepared for trial, including key parts of Crimo's videotaped confession. In the interview, which defence attorneys tried to have thrown out, a blank-faced Crimo slumped in a chair with arms crossed. He told officers that he briefly reconsidered the attack because of a problem with the gun. He later fixed the weapon. 'I walked up the stairs, jumped on the roof and opened fire,' he said. The seven people killed were Katherine Goldstein, 64; Jacquelyn Sundheim, 63; Stephen Straus, 88; Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza, 78; Eduardo Uvaldo, 69; and married couple Kevin McCarthy, 37, and Irina McCarthy, 35. Crimo's father Robert Crimo Jr, a former mayoral candidate, served less than two months in jail on charges in connection with how his son obtained a gun license.
Los Angeles Times
24-04-2025
- Los Angeles Times
Illinois man gets life sentence after admitting to deadly shooting at 2022 July Fourth parade
WAUKEGAN, Ill. — The suburban Chicago man who admitted to fatally shooting seven people and wounding dozens of others during a 2022 Independence Day parade was sentenced Thursday to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Lake County Judge Victoria Rossetti handed down seven consecutive sentences of natural life in prison without the possibility of parole, as prosecutors requested, for the first-degree murder charges after hearing emotional testimony from survivors and the relatives of those killed in the shooting. After years of unpredictable legal proceedings, Robert E. Crimo III, 24, changed his plea to guilty last month just moments before opening statements at his trial. Dozens were wounded in the shooting in the suburb about 30 miles north of Chicago. They ranged in age from their 80s to an 8-year-old boy who was left partially paralyzed. Crimo refused to attend his sentencing hearing Wednesday or Thursday despite a judge's previous warnings that the case would proceed without him. Crimo also declined to provide a written statement in court ahead of sentencing. 'He's always known that he was facing life in prison,' said Crimo's public defender, Gregory Ticsay. 'He has spared this community the lengthy trial.' Survivors and witnesses told the court about how their lives have changed since he killed seven people and hurt dozens more. Keely Roberts, whose 8-year-old son Cooper Roberts is paralyzed from the waist down, called Crimo 'cowardly' for not attending. 'You will not hear my grief,' she said. 'You are now irrelevant.' It's unusual for defendants to skip trial, especially sentencing, but constitutionally they have the right not to attend, said David Erickson, a former state appellate judge who teaches at Chicago Kent College of Law. Often in violent cases, defendants will explain themselves or profess innocence before sentencing. 'Certainly in crimes of violence it's not unusual for a defendant to show some remorse,' Erickson said. Some survivors called Crimo a 'monster' while another cited their faith in forgiving him. Many described feeling empty or facing deep sadness since the shooting. Some no longer attend public gatherings. Erica Weeder described how she and her husband were injured and helpless on the ground, watching others bleed out. Weeder went through weeks of medical care to remove shrapnel from her body while her husband was shot in the elbow, the bullet lodged there for weeks. 'A mass shooting is like a bomb blast throughout a community,' she said. Prosecutors argued that Crimo was fully in control of his actions as he fired 83 shots over 40 seconds. 'This was his evil plan. He intended to end the happiness that he saw around him,' said Lake County State's Atty. Eric Rinehart. Crimo pleaded guilty to 21 counts of first-degree murder — three counts for each person killed — and 48 counts of attempted murder. Each first-degree murder count carries a maximum life sentence in Illinois. But even in his absence, prosecutors made sure Crimo's own were heard. They used the first day of the hearing to reveal parts of the trove of evidence prepared for trial, including key parts of Crimo's videotaped confession. In a recording of the police interview, which defense attorneys tried to have thrown out, a blank-faced Crimo slumped in a chair with arms crossed. He told officers that he briefly reconsidered the attack because of a problem with the gun. He later fixed the weapon. 'I walked up the stairs, jumped on the roof and opened fire,' he said. Crimo was calm and cavalier, even laughing and joking, said Brian Bodden, a Highland Park police officer. Prosecutors recreated the horror of the day in the upscale community of about 30,000 people north of Chicago, showing video taken along the parade route and asking witnesses to recount the terrifying aftermath of the attack. In one video, a marching band played 'You're a Grand Old Flag' before shots were fired. Musicians carrying instruments ran as emergency sirens blared, fleeing along with other attendees. Many cried during the testimony, while others put their arms around one another inside the Lake County courtroom. The seven people killed were Katherine Goldstein, 64; Jacquelyn Sundheim, 63; Stephen Straus, 88; Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza, 78; Eduardo Uvaldo, 69; and married couple Kevin McCarthy, 37, and Irina McCarthy, 35. Crimo's father, Robert Crimo Jr., a former mayoral candidate, was charged in connection with how his son obtained a gun license. He pleaded guilty in 2023 to seven misdemeanor counts of reckless conduct. He served less than two months in jail. Tareen writes for the Associated Press. AP writer Scott Bauer contributed to this report from Madison, Wis.
