Robert Crimo III Receives Seven Life Sentences for July 4 Massacre
Robert Crimo III, the gunman behind the 2022 Highland Park mass shooting, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on Thursday. The attack, which took place during an Independence Day parade, left seven people dead and over 40 injured.
Robert Crimo III, the gunman behind the 2022 Highland Park mass shooting, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on Thursday. The attack, which took place during an Independence Day parade, left seven people dead and over 40 injured.
Judge Victoria Rossetti handed down seven consecutive life sentences for each of the murder victims, in addition to 50 years for attempted murder charges. Crimo, 23, had pleaded guilty in March after initially contesting the charges.
Deadly Attack on a Community Celebration
On July 4, 2022, Crimo opened fire with a semiautomatic rifle on crowds gathered in Highland Park, a city about 30 miles north of Chicago. Victims included children, elderly individuals, and parents watching the parade with their families.
Those killed were identified as:
- Katherine Goldstein, 64
- Jacquelyn Sundheim, 63
- Stephen Straus, 88
- Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza, 78
- Eduardo Uvaldo, 69
- Kevin McCarthy, 37
- Irina McCarthy, 35
The McCarthys’ two-year-old son was later found alive beneath their bodies. An eight-year-old boy was also left paralysed from the waist down by the shooting.
Survivors Share Emotional Testimonies
During the two-day sentencing hearing, survivors and victims’ families shared powerful statements, many addressing Crimo directly. Though the shooter chose not to appear in court, he was called a “coward” and “monster” by those whose lives he devastated.
Manhunt and Arrest
After the attack, Crimo fled the scene, leaving behind his weapon. He was captured later that day in Wisconsin following an intense manhunt. His arrest brought brief relief to a shaken community still reeling from the horror.
Family Ties and Legal Fallout
Crimo’s father, Robert Crimo Jr., was also convicted in 2023 on misdemeanour reckless conduct charges for helping his son obtain a firearms ownership ID card. He served about one month of a 60-day sentence before being released early for good behaviour.
This case marks one of the most high-profile examples of mass gun violence in the U.S. in recent years and has reignited national conversations about firearm access and mental health in America.
Category: U.S. News, Crime & Courts, Gun Violence
Tags: Highland Park shooting, Robert Crimo III, mass shooting, Illinois news, sentencing, Fourth of July, life sentence, no parole, gun violence, Chicago suburbs
