HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. (WLS) — A person of interest in the Highland Park parade shooting that left six people dead and dozens injured was taken into custody in Lake Forest after an hours-long manhunt Monday night.
The person of interest, identified by police as Robert Crimo III, 22, remained in custody Tuesday morning.
ABC News has learned Crimo is being questioned and his social media posts are being scrutinized.
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Crimo’s arrest came more than eight hours after the rampage.
Cell phone video captures the sound of gunfire during the July 4th parade in Highland Park.
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Police said the gunman was perched on a roof and fired at parade attendees who had gathered to celebrate the holiday.
“Everybody was running, screaming, ‘There’s a shooter! There’s a shooter!” said witness Mary Ann Sendick.
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Officials said at least six people were killed and more than 30 injured…
Parade goers were seen taking cover wherever they could.
“On a day we came together to celebrate community and freedom, we instead mourn the tragic loss of life and fight the terror that was inflicted on us,” said Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering.
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By mid-afternoon, police had identified Crimo as a person of interest.
A third of a mile from the scene of the shooting, SWAT officers were camped out at a home allegedly linked to Crimo.
Around 6:30 p.m., a North Chicago police officer spotted Robert “Bobby” E. Crimo III, 22, at Route 41 and Buckley Road, police said.
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A short pursuit ensued, but the vehicle was stopped at Westleigh Road and Route 41 in Lake Forest.
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Crimo was taken into custody without incident. He was then transported to the Highland Park Police Department, sources told ABC7.
Paul Crimmo, Robert Crimmo III’s uncle, spoke to ABC News and said he was a quiet man and lived in the back of a home owned by his father.
Paul Crimmo said the last time he saw Bobby Crimmo was Sunday night at 5:00 p.m. when he was passing the house and he just said hello.
Bobby Crimo never mentioned political views or talked about guns or firearms, his uncle said.
“I’m sorry for all the families that lost their lives, the six people,” Paul Crimo said. “My heart goes out to them.”
Crimo is from the area. Some witnesses to the carnage told ABC7 that Crimo lived in Highland Park. He has ties to Rockford, DeKalb and Elgin.
“I’ve definitely heard his name before. I know he’s a Highland Park resident and he went to Highland Park High School,” said Lauren Sachs, who witnessed the shooting.
The person of interest’s father previously ran for mayor of Highland Park in 2019, according to three people who knew him and public news reports at the time.
The father, Robert Crimo Jr., was defeated by incumbent Mayor Nancy Rotering, according to ABC7 election results, and received just 28 percent of the vote.
A local Highland Park business owner who grew up with Crimo Jr., the father, told ABC News that he was “trying to help his community” but “probably didn’t have that much of a chance.”
Residents are still in shock over everything that happened.
“I think about seeing all of my students in the parade today and just knowing that this is something that they’ve witnessed and that they’re going to have to process and go through — it’s sickening,” said witness Lauren Sachs.
ABC News contributed to this report.
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