The shooter responsible for disrupting the Highland Park 4th of July parade is now in custody. Robert “Bobby” E. Crimo III’s victims ranged in age from 8 to 85. Authorities said four or five of them were children.
Six people are confirmed dead. At least 32 individuals were injured, reported ABC News. Ten shooting victims were transported to the Highland Park Hospital by ambulance. The doctors saw at least 16 additional victims shortly after the shooting.
Dr. David Baum, a local obstetrician, had just watched his two-year-old grandson and dozens of other young parade participants push bubble lawn mower’s down Central Avenue when he heard “a sonic boom.”
He ran toward the victims lying at the Central and Second Street intersection. Dr. Baum, an emergency room doctor, a few nurses, and a surgeon began to triage the victims. First, they applied pressure to wounds. Then, when the paramedics arrived, these heroes helped by hanging intravenous drips.
Dr. Baum does not think he was heroic. “I just did what a person who’s a physician would do to try to help a bit,” he explained. He talked about how hard it might be for an average person to process what an assault-type weapon does to a person’s body.
Law enforcement and doctors have not identified the victims who were killed. But some family members and friends have started to do so.
The interim executive director for Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium, Dr. Jaclyn Schildkraut, retweeted a post about one of the victims. She added a reminder: Do not focus on the shooter. Instead, elevate the stories of those who were killed.
Now that the #HighlandPark shooting suspect is in custody, there’s no need to show his picture or say his name. Elevate the stories of those whose lives were cut short – like Nicolas, those who were injured, those who were heroes, and those who were forever changed. #NoNotoriety https://t.co/Q1cHYSL37w
— x – Dr. Jaclyn Schildkraut ???? (@jschildkraut80) July 5, 2022
Nicolas Toledo, who used a wheelchair, 76, reluctantly attended the parade. He was sitting between his son and nephew when the suspect’s bullets started. His granddaughter, Xochil Toledo, said: “We are all in shock. We thought it was part of the parade. [Then], we realized our grandfather was hit. We saw blood and everything splattered onto us.” He suffered three gunshot wounds. He died, according to The New York Times.
Angel Toledo, Nicolas’ son, said another family member, a child, was also shot but will survive.
Another victim, Jacki Sundheim, was killed by the suspect. A local synagogue announced she was a “lifelong congregant and a cherished member of our staff team for decades,” reported ABC News. “Jaki’s work, kindness, and warmth touched us all,” they added.
“I think every parent now in this community and every other community starts to look at risk completely differently. Uvalde is a couple thousand miles away, but Uvalde happened in Highland Park in a different way,” Dr. Baum added after he talked about his daughter’s fear of sending his grandson to summer school after today’s deadly shooting.
Prayer from the Sisters of Mercy:
God, our hearts are broken with pain at the senseless deaths caused by gun violence. Families mourn, children live in fear, and some in our nation respond by arming themselves with more guns with greater capacity to end life. Our disconnection and alienation has caused some to turn to guns for protection and safety. We ask that you touch our hearts with your love, heal our brokenness, and turn us away from violence toward peace. Help us to transform our own hearts and to seek peaceful ways of resolving our differences. Let our hands reach out and connect with those who feel alone, those who live in fear, and those suffering from mental illness. Let our voices be raised asking our legislators to enact gun laws to protect all in our society, especially those most vulnerable. Let our pens write messages demanding change while also scripting words of hope and transformation. We ask this in the name of the God who desires that we live together in peace. Amen
Written by Cathy Milne-Ware
Sources:
ABC 7 Chicago News: Person of interest in custody in deadly Highland Park parade shooting, authorities say; by Tre Ward, Leah Hope, Christian Piekos
NBC News: Highland Park shooting person of interest left online trail of violent imagery; by Ben Collins
ABC 7 Chicago News: Highland Park parade shooting victims range in age from 8 to 85 years old, doctors say; by Cate Caugurian and Maher Kawash
The New York Times: Portrait of a victim: a 76-year-old grandfather who hadn’t wanted to attend the parade. By Dan Simmons
The New York Times: A local obstetrician rushed to help the wounded. By Claire Fahy
Sisters of Mercy Hermanas de la Misericordia: Prayer: Let the Shooting End
Featured and Top Image by Rosie Sun Courtesy of Unsplash – Creative Commons License
First Inset Image by Jack Sharp Courtesy of Unsplash – Creative Commons License
Second Inset Image by Ben White Courtesy of Unsplash – Creative Commons License
