The alleged shooter at the Fourth of July parade in Highland Park wore women’s clothing to disguise himself and aid his getaway, authorities said Tuesday. He then raced home to his mother.
Robert E. “Bobby” Crimo III, 21, is suspected of killing 7 unsuspecting parade-goers and wounding more than 40 others after he allegedly fired 70 bullets from a high-powered AR-15-style weapon from the roof of a building in a rich Chicago suburb on Monday.
Authorities say he then covered the legally purchased firearm in a red sheet and dumped it behind the building in try to mix in with the crowd as he escaped during the chaos.
“Crimo was dressed in women’s clothing and investigators do believe he did this to conceal his facial tattoos and his identity,” Lake County Major Crime Task Force spokesperson Christopher Covelli said at a press briefing. “He was seen on video camera in women’s clothing.”
According to authorities, he may have even worn a hairpiece to complete his disguise.
Authorities said Crimo immediately went to his mother’s nearby house and “borrowed” her car to escape. Covelli added that there was no evidence he told his mother about what he’d just executed.
He escaped for hours after the shooting, but was apprehended by police Monday night — about 5 miles from the scene — when a passerby noticed his vehicle and called 911.
