Police: ‘High powered rifle’ used in Highland Park shooting

Police said the gunman in the Highland Park, Illinois shooting planned the attack for weeks and fired 70 rounds from the rooftop of a local business into a crowd of innocent people. According to police, Robert Crimo acted alone when he killed six people and injured thirty during the shooting on the Fourth of July.

Crimo accessed the rooftop by climbing up a fire escape ladder and wore women’s clothing to conceal his tattoos and blend in with the crowd as he fled. Police said they searched for the alleged gunman for hours and captured him after a traffic stop and brief chase. The suspect used what police described as a high powered rifle that he purchased legally.

The victims include Mexico resident Nicolas Toledo, who was visiting family in Illinois, and Jacki Sundheim, whose death was announced by the North Shore Congregation Israel, which described her as a “beloved” member of the community.

Politicians have been quiet in their statements compared to previous shootings, largely expressing condolences for the victims who were enjoying a day of celebration.

“While we celebrate the Fourth of July just once a year, mass shootings have become a weekly, yes weekly tradition,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker, D, said at the scene.

Illinois’ two Democratic senators expressed their support for an assault weapons ban.

“I just listened to the sound of that gunfire from one of the videos that was captured. And let me tell you that the last time I heard a weapon with that capacity, firing that rapidly on a Fourth of July was Iraq,” said Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D), a combat veteran injured during the Iraq War.

“There is no reason for a person to own a military assault weapon. It has no value for hunting, or sports or even self-defense. It is a killing machine,” Sen. Dick Durbin (D) said.

President Biden said in a statement, “I recently signed the first major bipartisan gun reform legislation in almost thirty years into law, which includes actions that will save lives. But there is much more work to do, and I’m not going to give up fighting the epidemic of gun violence.”

The Safer Communities Act did not include an assault weapons ban but did expand background checks for 18- to 20-year-olds and closed what’s known as the boyfriend loophole to prevent those convicted of domestic violence against a dating partner from owning a gun for five years.

AP and Reuters contributed to this report