Robert E. Crimo III, the gunman responsible for the deadly mass shooting at a July 4 parade in Highland Park, Illinois, pleaded guilty to multiple counts of murder and attempted murder on Monday, moments before opening arguments were set to begin in his trial. The surprise plea spares victims' families from a prolonged court battle nearly two years after the attack, which left seven people dead and dozens wounded.
Appearing in a Lake County circuit courtroom, Crimo, 23, withdrew his previous not-guilty plea, admitting to 21 counts of first-degree murder-three counts for each person killed-as well as 48 counts of attempted murder. The state had already dropped 48 additional counts of aggravated battery last week. He now faces a life sentence without the possibility of parole, with sentencing scheduled for April 23.
Judge Victoria Rossetti read the charges aloud and confirmed that Crimo understood the implications of his plea before accepting it. Dressed in a dark suit, Crimo made no additional statements before exiting the courtroom. Survivors and victims' families expressed a mix of relief and shock at the sudden resolution of the case.
Opening statements to begin in the trial of Robert Crimo III, the man accused of shooting and killing 7 and injuring dozens of others at a Highland Park Fourth of July parade in 2022. Prosecutors say nearly all of the 48 survivors from that day plan to testify during the trial. pic.twitter.com/b8JDjL1NUP — Patrick McGovern (@PMcGovernTV) March 3, 2025
"I think we were all just surprised and waiting to see what happened," said Ashbey Beasley, a survivor who has since become an anti-gun violence activist. "But I feel relieved knowing that we won't have to endure a trial."
The attack on July 4, 2022, was among the deadliest mass shootings in Illinois history. Authorities said Crimo, an aspiring rapper who performed under the name "Awake the Rapper," spent weeks planning the massacre. Disguised in women's clothing to blend into the crowd, he climbed onto the rooftop of a commercial building along the parade route and opened fire with a high-powered rifle, firing more than 80 rounds into the crowd below.
The victims, whose ages ranged from 35 to 88, included Stephen Straus, 88; Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza, 78; Eduardo Uvaldo, 69; Katherine Goldstein, 64; Jacquelyn Sundheim, 63; and married couple Kevin McCarthy, 37, and Irina McCarthy, 35. The attack also left dozens wounded, including an 8-year-old boy, Cooper Roberts, who was left paralyzed.
Following the shooting, Crimo escaped by blending into the panicked crowd. He made it home, took his mother's car, and drove to Madison, Wisconsin, where he considered carrying out another attack before returning to Illinois, where he was arrested.
Authorities say Crimo later confessed to the attack during a videotaped interrogation. "He went into details about what he had done," Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart said at the time. "He admitted to what he had done. We don't want to speculate on the motives right now."
The case had been delayed by Crimo's erratic courtroom behavior. In June 2024, he was expected to take a plea deal but suddenly rejected it, surprising even his own attorneys. He later fired his public defenders and announced plans to represent himself before reversing course again.
Crimo's father, Robert Crimo Jr., also faced legal consequences for his role in helping his son obtain a firearm. In 2019, despite warnings from family members and a police report documenting threats Crimo had made, his father sponsored his then-19-year-old son's application for a gun license. In 2023, Crimo Jr. pleaded guilty to seven counts of reckless conduct and was sentenced to 60 days in jail.
