July 4 parade shooting suspect expected to appear in court

Posted

HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. (AP) — The man charged with killing seven people when he opened fire on an Independence Day parade from a rooftop was expected in court Wednesday as authorities faced questions about how he was allowed to to buy several guns, despite threatening violence.

The suspected gunman was charged with seven counts of murder Tuesday in the shooting in Highland Park, an affluent Chicago suburb on the shores of Lake Michigan. Investigators have yet to identify a motive.

The man's attorney said he intends to enter a not guilty plea to all charges. Prosecutors have promised to seek dozens more.

A rifle “similar to an AR-15" was used to fire more than 70 rounds from atop a commercial building into the parade crowd, a spokesman for the Lake County Major Crime Task Force said.

A seventh victim died Tuesday. More than three dozen other people were wounded in the attack, which Task force spokesman Christopher Covelli said the suspect had planned for several weeks.

The assault happened less than three years after police went to the suspect's home following a call from a family member who said he was threatening “to kill everyone” there. Covelli said police confiscated 16 knives, a dagger and a sword, but said there was no sign he had any guns at the time, in September 2019.

Police in April 2019 also responded to a reported suicide attempt by the suspect, Covelli said.

The suspected gunman legally purchased the rifle used in the attack in Illinois within the past year, Covelli said. In all, police said, he purchased five firearms, which were recovered by officers at his father’s home.

Investigators who have interrogated the suspect and reviewed his social media posts have not determined a motive or found any indication that he targeted victims by race, religion or other protected status, Covelli said.

The gunman initially evaded capture by dressing as a woman and blending into the fleeing crowd, Covelli said.

A police officer pulled over the 21-year-old suspect north of the shooting scene several hours after police released his photo and warned that he was likely armed and dangerous, Highland Park Police Chief Lou Jogmen said.

Illinois, Chicago, Shooting