Highland Park shooting suspect Robert Crimo wore women’s clothing, fired over 70 rounds: cops

The shooter who allegedly opened fire on the Highland Park Fourth of July parade was dressed in women’s clothing to disguise himself and aid his escape — then ran home to his mother, police said Tuesday.

Robert E. “Bobby” Crimo III, 21, is accused of killing seven innocent parade-goers and injuring more than 40 others after he allegedly climbed onto the roof of a business in the wealthy Chicago suburb on Monday and fired off 70 rounds from a high-powered AR-15-style rifle.

He then wrapped the legally purchased weapon in a red blanket and ditched it behind the building so he could blend in with the crowd as he fled during the chaos, authorities said.

“Crimo was dressed in women’s clothing and investigators do believe he did this to conceal his facial tattoos and his identity,” Lake County Major Crime Task Force spokesman Christopher Covelli told a news briefing. “He was seen on video camera in women’s clothing.”

He may have even donned a hairpiece to complete his disguise, authorities said.

“A wig is not out of the question,” Covelli said.

The twisted cover was designed to make it appear “almost as if he was an innocent spectator himself,’’ Covelli said. “He wore that in an attempt to conceal himself.’’

Crimo, an amateur rapper, immediately went to his mother’s house nearby and “borrowed” her car to flee, authorities said. There was no indication he told his mother what he’d just done, Covelli added.

He remained on the loose for hours after the mass shooting but was nabbed by police Monday night — about 5 miles from the scene — when a bystander spotted his vehicle and alerted 911.

Cops found another rifle in the suspect’s car and three firearms — “some pistols and possible a shotgun” — in his apartment in nearby Highwood after he was eventually taken into custody, authorities said.

Authorities said Crimo had purchased the weapons locally and legally in 2020 and 2021 — despite cops being called to his home twice in 2019 after he threatened suicide and to “kill everyone” in his family.

When cops responded to the suspect’s home in September 2019, officers seized 16 knives, a dagger and a sword, but said there was no sign he had any guns at the time.

The weapon used in the parade massacre was “similar to an AR-15” that shot “high velocity rounds,” Covelli said.

No charges have yet been filed against Crimo but an update was expected Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.

“We do believe Crimo pre-planned this attack for several weeks,” Covelli said, adding that investigators were still trying to determine a motive.

“Investigators … have been in discussions with him. I don’t have anything to say about motivation thus far because it hasn’t been provided.”

“We have no indication to suggest at this point that it was racially motivated, motivated by religion,” Covelli added.

Authorities are reviewing disturbing social media posts Crimo had posted online.

Highland Park residents told CNN they immediately recognized Crimo when cops first released his photo because of his distinctive tattoos and colored hair.

Eric Januszewski said he had recently run into Crimo and commented that his facial tattoos were “quite a commitment.”

Crimo agreed and told Januszewski to check out his SoundCloud account, he said.

Additional reporting by Katie Donlevy