Last Updated on July 5, 2022
Deranged gunman Robert Crimo III was reportedly wearing women’s clothing while leaving the scene of the Highland Park shooting that left seven dead and dozens more wounded. Lake County Sheriff Christopher Covelli also said that Crimo planned the attack “for weeks.”
Crimo, 21, reportedly climbed an unsecured ladder in order to gain access to the roof of a building. From there he opened fire, killing seven and wounding at least 40.
The gunman reportedly disguised himself as a woman in order to evade capture, which he did before fleeing to his mother’s house. “Crimo was dressed in women’s clothing and investigators do believe he did this to conceal his facial tattoos and his identity,” Covelli said. “He was seen on video camera in women’s clothing.”
He also may have worn a hairpiece in order to complete his disguise. “A wig is not out of the question,” Covelli said. The disguise was designed to make it appear “almost as if he was an innocent spectator himself,’’ Covelli said. “He wore that in an attempt to conceal himself.’’
Crimo fired at least 70 rounds from the roof of the building before fleeing. He left his rifle — a legally purchased AR-15 — on the roof, however, which eventually led to his capture.
After blending in with the crowd and leaving the scene, Crimo went to his mother’s house in order to “borrow” her car. Investigators have no reason to believe the gunman told her what he had just done, Covelli said.
He remained on the lam for hours before his vehicle was recognized by a bystander. After a short police pursuit, Robert Crimo was arrested about five miles from the scene. Cops found another rifle in the suspect’s car and more firearms — described as “potentially pistols” — in his apartment in nearby Highwood after he was eventually taken into custody, The New York Post reported.
BREAKING: New video in showing the apparent arrest of Crimo in Lake Forest.
: Ryan Lerman@ABC7Chicago pic.twitter.com/RjIjTF3Z4y
— Tre Ward ABC 7 (@TreWardTV) July 4, 2022
“We do believe Crimo pre-planned this attack for several weeks,” Covelli said, adding that investigators were still trying to determine a motive. “Investigators … have been in discussions with him. I don’t have anything to say about motivation thus far because it hasn’t been provided.”
“We have no indication to suggest at this point that it was racially motivated, motivated by religion,” Covelli added.
Authorities have also been combing through Crimo’s litany of disturbing social media posts.