Robert Crimo, the young rapper arrested for the mass shooting during the 4th of July celebrations in the US

Chicago police reported Monday afternoon that they arrested Robert E. Crimo III, a 22-year-old man designated as a “person of interest” for the shooting that left at least 6 dead

The motivations behind the attack are unknown at this time.

As reported at a press conference, he was captured on the north side of Chicago by a police officer who unsuccessfully tried to detain him during a traffic stop.

“We believe that Crimo planned this attack several weeks ago ,” Chris Covelli of the Lake County Serious Crimes Task Force said Tuesday.

“He brought a high-powered rifle to the parade, climbed onto the roof of a business via an emergency ladder, and shot innocent attendees at the Independence Day event,” he added.

During the attack, Crimo “was wearing women’s clothing.”

“Investigators believe he did this to cover his facial tattoos and identity and escape with other people fleeing the chaos.”

Crimo fired more than 70 bullets into the crowd , according to initial investigations. The used rifle plus another one he had in his vehicle were legally purchased by Crimo in Illinois.

There are no indications that anyone else was involved in the attack and investigators are trying to determine their motivations.

“We have no information at this time that suggests there was a racial or religious motivation,” Covelli said.

He is expected to face charges Tuesday, Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering said.

“Our nation needs to have a conversation about these weekly events involving the murder of dozens of people with legally obtained weapons,” he to

The young man was turned over to Highland Park police for investigation so that connections to the case can be made.

The capture of Crimo put an end to hours of long search in which the police shared details and descriptions of the young man, as well as the car in which he was moving and asked people to stay away from him because they considered him “an armed and dangerous subject”. .

What is known about Crimo III?

Mayor Rotering says that she knew Crimo from when he was a boy in the Scouts. “What happened? How did someone become so angry, so hateful?” said Rotering.

Authorities had identified him by his tattoos, including a distinctive one on his cheek that showed four stripes with another running through them, like the traditional count of five.

Local media in the US indicated that Crimo lives in Chicago, is a rapper and publishes his songs on social networks. His artistic alias is Awake The Rapper.

A profile of his name on the IMDB movie page (which authorities have not officially confirmed belongs to him) identifies him as “an American rapper, singer, songwriter, actor, and director.”

In his productions, he often featured images and messages of violence. In a video posted on YouTube there are drawings about the use of rifles against people. In another there is an armed man, allegedly an attacker, killed by the police.

Police said they are reviewing these posts.

In another video titled On my Mind , Crimo is seen dressed in a military operations vest and helmet in a classroom.

At one point in the recording, he reaches into a backpack and, after a cut to a black screen, the classroom is seen in chaos and the young man smiles maliciously.

“My actions will be brave and my thinking is unnecessary. I know what I have to do, I know what it means, not only for me, but for everyone else, ”she sings in one of the songs.

In another video titled On my Mind , Crimo is seen dressed in a military operations vest and helmet in a classroom.

At one point in the recording, he reaches into a backpack and, after a cut to a black screen, the classroom is seen in chaos and the young man smiles maliciously.

“My actions will be brave and my thinking is unnecessary. I know what I have to do, I know what it means, not only for me, but for everyone else, ”she sings in one of the songs.

In another of the songs, Are You Awake , he says he would perform “an act that would define his life beyond his ability to stop” and includes an image of a newspaper clipping about Lee Harvey Oswald, the shooter who assassinated President John F. Kennedy.

Paul A. Crimo, one of the detainee’s uncles, said he saw “no signs that compelled him to do this . ” “He is usually alone. He is a lonely and quiet person. He keeps it all to himself,” he told NCT.

Crimo III lives in Highwood, very close to Highland Park. His father, Robert Crimo Jr., is known in the community and once ran for local mayor.

What happened

The shooting took place during one of the traditional US Independence Day parades.

Local media report that hundreds of people crowded the sidewalks to enjoy the floats, music bands and performances as part of the city’s celebrations. According to the initial report, the attacker opened fire from the roof of a camping supply store at around 10:15 local time (15:15 GMT), just a few minutes after the event began.

The suspect is believed to have shot attendees from the roof of a camping supply store, using what police described as a high-powered rifle. According to authorities, he had climbed onto the roof via an unsecured ladder, which is located in an alley at the rear of the building. Officers secured a perimeter around downtown Highland Park and recovered “evidence of a firearm,” according to local police.