22-year-old Robert E. Crimo III is an amateur rapper who posts disturbing videos on his YouTube channel, including a crude animation depicting a gunman being killed by police.
- Jul 5, 2022
AceShowbiz - The 4th of July parade in Illinois has turned into a horror moment. At least six people were killed when a shooter with a high-powered rifle opened fire in a Chicago-area suburb on Monday morning.
Police have arrested the person of interest, Robert E. Crimo III, who goes by Bobby and Awake the Rapper on social media. Highland Park Police Chief Lou Jogmen said in a press conference that officers initiated a traffic stop of the subject and "that subject did flee. A brief pursuit went on. Ultimately they were able to get the subject stopped … in Lake Forest. The subject was taken into custody without incident."
Police Chief Lou then reiterated that "things are moving very quickly, as they do unfortunately." The person of interest was en route to the Highland Park Police Department, "where we going to begin the next phase of the investigation … to make sure or see if in fact he is connected to this incident."
The death toll was confirmed during a press conference on Monday afternoon. The authorities stated that 23 people were transferred to the hospital by the fire department while several others "self-transported" and presented with gunshot wounds.
At a press conference held outside of NorthShore University Hospital where multiple victims were treated, hospital officials said the victims ranged from eight years old to 85 years old. There were "around four to five children" among those transported to hospital. Multiple victims have been able to go home.
Bobby was taken into custody about seven hours after the massive shooting. The 22-year-old man is an amateur Illinois-based rapper who posted disturbing videos on his YouTube channel, including videos filled with violent imagery and mass-shooting fantasy as well as a crude animation depicting a gunman being killed by police.
In one clip titled "On My Mind", Bobby is seen inside an empty classroom in tactical gear and holding the American Flag. In another video, he raps, "Like a sleepwalker, I am breaking through no matter what," alongside snippets of footage in which he appears to be armed.
His uncle, Paul Crimo, told Fox 23 Chicago that he saw no "warning signs" that would indicate Bobby could be involved in Monday's shooting. "I saw no signs of trouble. And if I did see signs I would have said something," Paul said, adding that his nephew was a "YouTube rapper" who once worked at Panera Bread.
