Gunman in Highland Park parade shooting planned the attack for weeks, police say

[Novara]

Gunman in Highland Park parade shooting planned the attack for weeks, police say

HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. — A day after a gunman opened fire on a Fourth of July parade in this city, local officials painted a picture Tuesday of a lone shooter who planned the attack for weeks, dressed in “women’s clothing” to conceal his identity and blended in with the terrified crowd to escape.

Police are holding Robert E. Crimo III, 21, a local rapper, who they called “a person of interest” in the shootings in which six people were killed and more than 30 injured Monday. The killings terrorized the usually serene Chicago suburb of 30,000 on a day when crowds nationwide gathered to celebrate the nation’s history.

Officers arrested Crimo “without incident” after a chase, Highland Park’s police chief told reporters Monday evening as nearby towns canceled festivities, fearing more violence. Police said Tuesday that they think Crimo legally purchased his weapon, described as “similar to an AR-15,” and randomly fired more than 70 shots at the crowd. A second rifle was found in his car, police said.

More: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/07/05/highland-park-parade-shooting-live-updates/

[greenjar_01]

1. Dude dumped a traceable weapon he purchased legally, and did so at the crime scene

I wouldn't call this extraordinarily good planning, I dunno. Did he think they wouldn't find it in the bush, and he'd return for it?

Seems deeply stupid, if you ask me.

[gratuitous]

2. Well, as Mickey Rourke's character said in "Body Heat"

"Any time you try a decent crime, you got 50 ways you can fuck up. You think of 25 of them, then you're a genius. And you ain't no genius."

[Novara]

3. He could hardly carry it with him if his plan was to blend in with the crowd.

[greenjar_01]

5. Well, duh

But it still goes to the question of planning, no?

[Model35mech]

4. I think this is more evidence the shooting wasn't an impulsive act.

He planned a get away. Something mass-shooters committing murder-suicide don't do.

This undeniably was the result of a plan.

Having a plan suggests that he had an end goal.

Not one we would necessarily see as rational, but nonetheless he had an end result that he had thought through, and it included at least trying to get away.

I don't think this is going to turn out to be like most of the other recent mass murders. I think he saw himself on a mission, and I am starting to lean toward believing the Highland Park mayor who thought it was a terror attack was right.