‘MUMMY & DADDY ARE COMING SOON,’ SAYS TRAGIC ORPHAN
CHICAGO: A two-year-old boy has been orphaned after his parents were both killed by a gunman who allegedly dressed as a woman to blend in with the crowd after he shot revellers at a July 4 parade in Chicago.
Amateur rapper Robert Crimo has been charged with seven counts of first degree murder after allegedly planning the attack on the Highland Park parade for several weeks.
Crimo, 22, reportedly dressed in women’s clothing and climbed a fire escape ladder to the roof of a local business where he unleashed at least 70 rounds from a “high-powered rifle into a crowd of innocent people” who had turned out to celebrate Independence Day on Monday, police said.
Among the victims were Kevin McCarthy, 37, and Irina McCarthy, 35, who were at the parade with their son Aiden, who was found walking alone by a stranger.
Aiden survived because his father shielded him with his body, his grandfather Michael Levberg, told the Chicago Sun-Times.
“He had Aiden under his body when he was shot,” Mr Levberg said.
When he picked up his grandson at the Highland Park police station, Mr Levberg said Aiden told him, “Mummy and Daddy are coming soon”.
“They were crazy about their boy,” he said, weeping.
A GoFundMe page set up for the boy has raised more than $US1.5m in a day.
Earlier, police said Crimo was seen on a video camera in women’s clothes.
“Following the attack, he blended in with the crowd and escaped,” they said.
A surveillance photo shows Crimo wearing what appears to be a long black wig as he fled the scene.
According to police, the suspected gunman then walked to his mother’s home and ”borrowed” her car.
“He walked to his mother’s home, who lived in the area, and blended right in with everyone else as they were running around — almost as he was an innocent spectator as well,” police spokesman Christopher Covelli said. “We do believe Crimo pre-planned this attack for several weeks.”
He was captured hours later following a police pursuit and was found to also be in possession of a rifle in the car he was travelling in, and other firearms at his home, Mr Covelli added.
Crimo’s uncle, Paul Crimo, described his nephew as a “lonely, quiet person” who spent much of his time in front of his computer.
But online, he showed a strong inclination for violence and anger. Authorities revealed that in 2019 he was visited twice by police, first after a suspected attempt at suicide, and a second time to remove knives after he had threatened to “kill everyone”.