Father of Highland Park Mass Shooting Suspect Faces Trial for Alleged Recklessness in Gun License Sponsorship

The trial for Robert Crimo, Jr., the father of the Highland Park mass shooting suspect at the 2022 Fourth of July parade, is set to commence in the fall, according to a decision made by Judge George Strickland on Friday.

The trial for the father of the Highland Park mass shooting killing seven people and wounding dozens more at the Highland Park, Illinois, 2022 Fourth of July parade is scheduled to begin in fall. (Photo: News4JAX)

Father of Highland Park Mass Shooting Suspect Faces Trial

In December 2022, the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office charged Robert Crimo, Jr. the father of the Highland Park mass shooting suspect with seven counts of reckless conduct, to which he pleaded not guilty, CNN reported.

Judge Strickland has scheduled the trial to begin either in late October or early November, with another hearing in the case slated for July 14.

Prosecutors assert that Crimo Jr., father of the Highland Park mass shooting suspect demonstrated “criminal recklessness” when he endorsed his son’s application for an Illinois Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card nearly three years before the tragic incident.

The FOID card is a prerequisite for purchasing a firearm in Illinois.

Authorities discovered that the father of the Highland Park mass shooting suspect agreed to sponsor his son’s gun license in 2019, several months after local police received a report indicating that the son had made threats to “kill everyone” in his family.

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Highland Park Mass Shooting Suspect

Robert “Bobby” E. Crimo III, the accused Highland Park mass shooting suspect who was 21 years old at the time of the incident, faces numerous charges of first-degree murder for allegedly firing over 70 rounds from a rooftop during the holiday parade, resulting in the deaths of seven individuals.

The Highland Park mass shooting suspect has pleaded not guilty to 117 criminal charges, including 21 counts of first-degree murder.

Additionally, police had previously responded to an incident in which the Highland Park mass shooting suspect Crimo had purportedly attempted self-harm using a machete.

An attorney representing the parents has disputed certain details outlined in the police reports.

The trial will seek to determine the extent of the involvement of the Highland Park mass shooting suspect‘s father and responsibility in the devastating incident that shook Highland Park to its core.

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