Photo: Lake County Police Department
The father of the accused Highland Park shooter has been charged with reckless conduct and could get up to three years in jail.
Hundreds of people were forced to run for their lives whengunfire erupted at a 4th of July paradein the central business district of Highland Park, a suburb in Illinois. Seven people were killed and at least 24 were injured.Robert E. Crimo, III was chargedwith seven counts of first-degree murder the next day.
On Friday, his fatherRobert Crimo, Jr. was chargedwith seven felony counts of reckless conduct, Lake County District Attorney Eric Reinhart said in a news briefing shared via Facebook. Reinhart later said that each count represents theseven people who diedfrom the shooting: Nicolas Toledo, 76, Jacki Sundheim, 63, Katherine Goldstein, 64, Irina McCarthy, 35, along with her husband Kevin McCarthy, 37, Stephen Strauss, 88, Eduardo Uvaldo, 69.
Reinhart said that Crimo, Jr. “took a reckless and unjustified risk when he decided, on Dec. 16, 2019, to sign his son’s application for a firearm owner’s ID, or FOID card.”
The aftermath of Monday’s parade shooting in Highland Park, Illinois.TANNEN MAURY/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Added Reinhart: “At the time he signed the application, his son was 19 and could not, let me say that again, could not, get a FOID card, and because of that could not legally purchase a firearm without his father’s assistance in that application process.”
Reinhart noted that legally, those between the ages of 18 and 20 are only allowed to get FOID cards and weapons with their parent or guardian’s consent.
Reinhart later said that though the FOID application was approved, “the information that the father had about his own son” is what made Crimo, Jr.’s actions “reckless.” Reinhart added in the briefing that he would not be giving specifics as it relates to evidence and the information Crimo, Jr. knew about his son.
He simply said, “The parents know what is going on with their teenagers. He knows what’s going on, and it was reckless for him to participate in the FOID process in that way, in this case.”
He added that the FOID application process has since undergone changes.
Reinhart said that Crimo, Jr. surrendered to authorities shortly before the press conference on Friday. He could get anywhere from probation to up to three years for each count he faces. If he receives jail time, Crimo, Jr. could serve the sentences concurrently, so he could spend a total of three years behind bars.
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Crimo, Jr.’s bond is setat $500,000, according to his booking sheet. His bond hearing is scheduled for Saturday morning, Reinhart said
Speaking about the charges against Crimo, Jr., Reinhart said the victims “deserve decisive action from this office as well as from legislators. For too long we’ve allowed a vocal minority to drown out the willowed majority. and to stall commonsense legislation about gun safety. Shattered communities deserve better.”
“Gun violence is a uniquely American devastation, but it is not destiny. It’s a decision.”
“Everyone deserves to feel safe in every community,” said Reinhart during the briefing. “For too long we’ve allowed gun violence to destroy lives and neighborhoods. We’ve allowed a cloud of fear to hang over every part of American life. No brother should fear dropping their younger sibling off at school. No aunt should fear taking her niece to a neighborhood barbecue. And no daughter should fear standing with her mother at July 4th parade.”
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Crimo, Jr.’s lawyer George M. Gomez addressed the charges and said in a statement, per CBS News, “Mr. Robert Crimo Jr. voluntarily surrendered himself to the Highland Park Police Department at 2 pm today. We firmly believe these charges are baseless and unprecedented.”
He continued, “On the eve of the statute of limitations for reckless conduct related to the sponsorship of Crimo III’s FOID application, the Lake County State’s County hastily made a decision to charge my client. This decision should alarm every single parent in the United States of America who according to the Lake County State’s Attorney knows exactly what is going on with their 19 year old adult children and can be held criminally liable for actions taken nearly three years later.”
Gomez said he plans to “fight” the “absurd” charges “every step of the way.”
Gomez did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
source: people.com
