Three months after Highland Park suspected shooter Robert Cremo called police to his family’s home after threatening to “kill everyone” inside, he applied for his first Firearms Owners Identity Card (FOID), under the care of his father.
In September 2019, when 19-year-old Cremo was too young to legally obtain a permit to carry a gun, Illinois State Police were called to the suspected shooter’s family home after they received a call regarding a “clear and present danger” report after he threatened “Killing everyone” in his family.
Authorities have reportedly removed 16 knives, a sword and a dagger from the house Chicago Sun Times reported, but no charges have been brought and Mr. Cremo has not been arrested.
In initial reports, police said the suspected shooter was unaware of the authorities prior to the gruesome Independence Day massacre. This report was later changed when police reported two incidents where law enforcement was called to Crimo’s home in 2019.
In April 2019, the police came to the Illinois home where Cremo was staying after he threatened suicide, the second case was on September 2019 when he said he would kill everyone inside the family home.
Two months after the police were called to Crimo’s home in Illinois, Robert ‘Bob’ Crimo Jr, the father of the suspected shooter, sponsored his son for a FOID card, which was approved one month later in January 2020.
In response to questions about why officials agreed to the permit, which arrived just a few months after the police were called to the family home due to the then 19-year-old’s threats to harm himself and his family, officials said there was “insufficient basis to establish that there was a clear and present danger and the refusal to FOID application.
Cremo passed four basic checks in purchasing his weapons, all conducted in 2020 and 2021, following the events of 2019 that came to the attention of the police, according to the state police.
Kremo, who is charged with seven counts of first-degree murder with more charges expected to follow in the coming days, has released a statement regarding their son’s pending case, the state attorney for Lake County said.
“We are all mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers, and this is a terrible tragedy for so many families, victims, optimists, society and our community. Our hearts, thoughts and prayers are with all of us,” said Denis Cremo and her husband, Mr. Cremo.
The AR-15 rifle that Mr. Cremo took to the July 4 parade route in Highland Park where families, friends and locals gathered to celebrate Independence Day was legally purchased, authorities said during a press conference on Tuesday. A second gun was also discovered inside Mr. Kremo’s car when he was arrested after an hours-long chase that stretched across the city.
Multiple firearms were later found inside Mr. Kremo’s home after law enforcement monitored the building with a search warrant.
Police said all the firearms were legally purchased through several locations in the nearby area and were registered in his name.
Highland Park has a ban on assault rifles, which the current mayor instituted in 2013.
If convicted on all seven counts of first-degree murder, Mr. Cremo will face a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole.
