Adrian
The gunman responsible for the tragic mass shooting during the 2022 Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois, has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. ROBERT E. CRIMO III, 24, received seven consecutive life sentences after pleading guilty last month to first-degree murder charges.
Lake County Judge VICTORIA ROSSETTI handed down the sentence on Thursday, describing CRIMO as “irreparably corrupt” and “beyond any rehabilitation.” “This court has absolutely no words that could adequately describe and capture the horror and pain that was inflicted on July 4th,” Judge ROSSETTI stated. She further characterized him as having a “complete disregard for human life” and being “irretrievably depraved.”
CRIMO refused to attend his sentencing hearing on both Wednesday and Thursday, despite warnings from Judge ROSSETTI that the proceedings would continue in his absence. The attack, which left seven dead and 48 injured, has left a lasting scar on the community.
KEELY ROBERTS, whose 8-year-old son COOPER ROBERTS was paralyzed from the waist down in the shooting, addressed the court, calling CRIMO “cowardly” for not attending. “You will not hear my grief,” she said. “You are now irrelevant.”
The shooting occurred when CRIMO allegedly climbed onto a rooftop above the parade route in downtown Highland Park, approximately 30 miles north of Chicago, and opened fire on spectators using a legally purchased Smith & Wesson M&P 15 rifle.
The victims who lost their lives in the attack include JACKI SUNDHEIM, 63; NICOLAS TOLEDO-ZARAGOZA, 78; IRINA MCCARTHY, 35, and KEVIN MCCARTHY, 37; KATHERINE GOLDSTEIN, 64; STEPHEN STRAUS, 88; and EDWARDO UVALDO, 69.
CRIMO‘s father, ROBERT CRIMO JR., a former mayoral candidate, was charged in connection with his son’s acquisition of a gun license. He pleaded guilty in 2023 to seven misdemeanor counts of reckless conduct and served less than two months in jail.
This report includes contributions from Fox News’ STEPHEN SORACE, PATRICK MCGOVERN, AUDREY CONKLIN, and the Associated Press.
**Sources:**
[Fox News](https://www.foxnews.com)
[Associated Press](https://apnews.com)
