Robert Cremo, the young man accused of attacking a show on July 4 in suburban Chicago, has been charged with seven counts of first-degree murder.
Barely 24 hours after authorities announced the arrest of the 21-year-old, who allegedly attacked the Highland Park military parade with a powerful rifle, they said the seven counts were likely only the first, and more could follow. If convicted, this will result in a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole.
“In the courtroom, we will seek the maximum sentence for this offender. Not because we seek vengeance, but because justice and the healing process require it,” said Lake County attorney Eric Reinhart.
Mr. Reinhart also called for a ban on assault weapons in Illinois.
“We must do everything in our power to ensure that the horror that pervaded these streets, and which reverberated in these buildings, does not happen again,” he said.
All the people who died steps away from here lost all their freedom. Every ounce of freedom they had. freedom of love. The freedom to learn. And the freedom to live a full life.”
He added, “Their freedom is also important. We must do more as we think and think about their freedom on July 5.”
Details of the charges against the 21-year-old, self-proclaimed singer named Awake the Rapper, came as it was revealed that he had legally purchased two high-powered rifles and three other weapons, despite authorities calling his home twice since 2019. She said Police on Tuesday said officials said he had also threatened suicide and violence.
A spokesperson for the Lake County Major Crime Squad said at a news conference that Mr. Kremo allegedly used a high-powered rifle “that looks like an AR-15 rifle” to spray more than 70 rounds off a commercial building at a crowd gathering for a parade in Highland Park.
Police said they were called to the suspect’s home in September 2019 after a family member called to say he was threatening to “kill everyone” in the house. Task force spokesman Christopher Coveley said police seized 16 knives, daggers and a sword, but said there was no indication he was in possession of any weapons at the time.
Also on Tuesday, officials said they believed the alleged gunman spent several weeks planning the attack and wore women’s clothing while escaping from a rooftop.
Reinhart was asked why a red flag warning was not requested in 2019, after police drove to his home.
“I don’t know the internal operation of the Illinois State Police in terms of after this report was made. We know there was no pending application at the time.
The state has since had an Illinois Restrictive Order on Firearms.
The goal of this tool is to ensure the safety of the individual and those around him. He said it allows the courts to remove guns temporarily and prevent the purchase of new weapons by individuals who pose a high risk.
It is known that on Monday afternoon, authorities arrested Cremo after a traffic stop near Lake Forest, a suburb of Chicago about six miles north of where the attack on the Independence Day parade was carried out.
Additional reporting by agencies
