Robert Crimo III’s guilty plea earlier this week in Highland Park’s Independence Day parade shooting prompted a variety of reactions in the area and left city officials navigating a tangled web of media attention and the needs of residents still struggling with the trauma of the shooting.
Crimo pleaded guilty to opening fire on spectators at the 2022 Highland Park Fourth of July parade, killing seven people and wounding dozens more. His charges include 21 counts of first-degree murder, and 48 counts of attempted murder.
The defendant has 30 days if he wants to withdraw his plea, though the court would have to find that he had a substantive reason for doing so. If the plea holds, he will be sentenced on April 23. Under state law, anyone found guilty of committing two or more murders receives an automatic life sentence in prison with no possibility for parole. The victims and their families will have a chance to make statements at the sentencing hearing.
Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering, who was in court, said the guilty plea was the best outcome for victims and their families, calling it “1,000%” better than a trial.
“I think, at this moment, we’re all just sort of surprised and relieved that they don’t have to experience the unbelievable pain of reliving this experience for the next three to five weeks,” she said.
The legal battles are far from over however.
Several victims and their families remain in civil litigation related to the shooting, including against Crimo III, his father, gun manufacturer Smith & Wesson and the gun shops that helped Crimo III get his weapons. Several lawsuits also have been filed against the Illinois State Police for approving Crimo’s Firearm Owner’s Identification card application despite concerns he was a danger to public safety.
In a news release, the city and Rotering said the plea was an “important step toward justice, but does not erase the pain,” and thanked Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart and his team for their work, along with the community’s first responders, law enforcement officials and hospital personnel.
While there are “milestones ahead,” the city is “confident in our legal system,” it said.
“Our thoughts and hearts remain with the families whose loved ones were senselessly taken, those who were injured, and everyone whose lives were forever changed by this horrific act,” the release said. “We continue to stand together and remain committed to supporting the victims, their families, and our entire community as we move forward together as one Highland Park.”
News of Crimo’s guilty plea was welcomed by many in the community. At Harper + Ash home goods store, a stack of pamphlets about Cooper Roberts, a young boy severely wounded in the shooting, sit at the checkout counter.
Store manager Lori Isaacs, 63, said she was glad to hear Crimo had pleaded guilty.
“I don’t know what else he would plead besides insanity,” she said.
A few doors down, Mallory Kirsch, who works at Sprout Kids children’s store, was “shocked” to hear that Crimo had a change of heart. Kirsch said the shooting didn’t just shatter the sense of safety and security locally. It has given the city an unwanted legacy.
“I hate that,” she said. “I don’t want us to be a town marked by tragedy.”
Liz Turnipseed, 43, was one of the dozens wounded in the shooting. She said she and her husband previously told their young daughter that she was going to talk about “the bad man who hurt Mommy” in court.
Turnipseed, who was wounded in the pelvis and the leg, said she burst out crying Monday morning when she heard about the plea.
“We’d been preparing and I was ready to get up there and tell my story,” she said. “It’s been a rollercoaster of emotions all day.”
Turnipseed plans to give a victim impact statement at the April sentencing, but she said she has taken a form of closure from Crimo’s decision to plead guilty.
“I can finally, truly tell my daughter he’s going to prison and he’s never going to leave,” she said.
Beyond a handful of short news releases, city officials and staff have declined any media interviews since the news of Crimo’s guilty plea, including any talk about plans for a future permanent memorial.
According to Highland Park staff, that’s been a purposeful attempt to try and be sensitive to a traumatized community. The city has made several efforts to be extra mindful, drawing input from the Department of Justice Office of Victims of Crime.
That includes the city’s Independence Day plans for this year, which were announced in February.
According to a release, the city will not be organizing any evening drone or fireworks show, pointing to concerns over, “community trauma, sustainability concerns and pet needs.”
“As Independence Day events have evolved over the past two years, the City and Park District have applied a trauma-informed approach with guidance from the Department of Justice Office of Victims of Crime and community-based mental health clinicians,” the release said. “The approach reflects a commitment to building community resiliency in reclaiming Highland Park’s Independence Day traditions while continuing to provide compassionate support.”
What next year will hold will be up to the community. Last month, Rotering said several council members wanted to explore ways to bring back an evening event in the future, and the city will collect community feedback and present ideas during the 2026 planning process.
This year’s celebrations will start on July 3 with family-friendly festivities running from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Preserve of Highland Park. The Thursday evening festival will include food trucks, music, games and various attractions.
On July 4, a remembrance will be held at 9 a.m. for “reflection and support.” The temporary memorial at the Rose Garden will continue to be open to the public. The city advised any visitors concerned over re-traumatization from patriotic décor, floats and the like related to the parade itself should avoid visiting the memorial on July 4 between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The city’s “Dream Team”-themed parade, including entertainment coordinated by the Park District, will start at 11 a.m. on July 4 beginning at First Street and Laurel Avenue and going through the downtown to Sunset Woods Park.
The theme is “a celebration of all that brings us together,” the release said, “whether that’s family or friends, sports, dance, faith, community or neighborhood.” Attendees are encouraged to wear team jerseys and apparel, and floats will celebrate the colors and mascots of favorite teams and organizations.
Parade participation sign-ups started Monday.
“Highland Park’s Independence Day events reflect the community’s patriotic spirit and steadfast commitment to supporting and celebrating each other,” Rotering said. “This year’s parade theme reminds us that teams bring people together in support of a common goal, and that we are most resilient when we support each other.”
