WAUKEGAN, Ill. — Survivors and relatives of people killed in a 2022 mass shooting at an Independence Day parade in suburban Chicago were set to speak Wednesday at the sentencing hearing for the gunman, who chose not to attend.
Robert E. Crimo III, 24, pleaded guilty last month to the shooting that left seven people dead and dozens more injured. He changed his plea moments before opening statements at his trial after years of unpredictable legal proceedings.
Crimo is not attending the hearings or watching from jail, said Lake County sheriff’s spokesman Christopher Covelli. He has previously skipped court, including during parts of jury selection, despite warnings from Judge Victoria Rossetti that things would move forward in his absence.
Testimony from survivors was expected to be emotional and boxes of tissues were spread throughout the packed courtroom, including on the witness stand and near the public seating.
Spectators in court, including many survivors, wiped tears while others put their arms around each other as footage of the parade was shown. One person clutched a blue nubbed stress ball.
Crimo’s parents, who have attended most court proceedings, were not present Wednesday.
Crimo is certain to spend the rest of his life in prison. Each count of first-degree murder carries a maximum natural life sentence in Illinois. Prosecutors and attorneys for survivors said before the hearing that addressing Crimo is an important step.
“They have been patiently waiting for justice to be served,” said a statement from Romanucci & Blandin, a Chicago-based law firm that represents nearly 50 victims. They “will tell their personal stories to the court, and they are steadfastly committed to pursuing justice.”
Security was tight Wednesday with observers required to lock up their phones and pass through two sets of metal detectors.
Attorneys were unsure how many people might give so-called victim impact statements, saying some may decide at the last minute. Prosecutors began the sentencing hearing by laying out evidence against Crimo. The hearing is at the Lake County Courthouse, roughly 45 miles (70 kilometers) from Chicago.
Prosecutors played video clips showing a band marching as multiple shots rang out and the crowd, including young children, started fleeing the parade route in a panic. Band members carrying instruments ran down the street as emergency sirens blared.
Retired Highland Park Police Commander Gerry Cameron, who was on duty the day of the parade, testified that when he first heard the gunshots he thought it might have been fireworks or a car backfiring. When he ran toward the sound, he saw injured people.
“As I was moving eastbound, people were running to the west frantically panicked,” Cameron testified.
Authorities said Crimo perched on a roof and fired into the crowds. Witnesses described confusion as the shots began, followed by terror as families bolted from the downtown parade route, leaving lawn chairs and strollers behind.
Conway described clearing people, including children, who were sheltering in businesses near the parade route.
“They were reluctant to come out. They were reluctant to come to the door,” he said, pausing before adding: “They were horrified.”
Dozens were wounded in the shooting in the suburb about 30 miles (50 kilometers) north of Chicago. They ranged in age from their 80s to an 8-year-old boy who was left partially paralyzed.
Prosecutors had reams of evidence, including Crimo’s videotaped confession to police.
Prosecutors initially charged Crimo with 21 counts of first-degree murder — three counts for each person killed — and 48 counts of attempted murder for the injured. Prosecutors later dropped 48 less serious counts of aggravated battery before jury selection.
The case has moved slowly through the court, in part because of Crimo’s erratic behavior.
He was expected to accept a plea deal last year but changed his mind once he got to court, shocking even his own attorneys.
Crimo fired his public defenders and said he would represent himself. Then he reversed his decision. After he pleaded guilty in court, he signed documents waiving his right to trial with both his own name and the name “Donald Trump.”
Residents in the upscale Highland Park community of roughly 30,000 have mourned the shooting deeply. Some potential jurors were excused because of their connections to the case. Several survivors have also filed lawsuits against Crimo and gunmaker Smith & Wesson.
City leaders canceled the usual parade in 2023, opting instead for a “community walk.” The parade was reinstated last year on a different route and included a memorial.
The seven people killed in the shooting were Katherine Goldstein, 64; Jacquelyn Sundheim, 63; Stephen Straus, 88; Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza, 78; Eduardo Uvaldo, 69; and married couple Kevin McCarthy, 37, and Irina McCarthy, 35.
Crimo’s father, Robert Crimo Jr., a former mayoral candidate, was charged in connection with how his son obtained a gun license. He pleaded guilty in 2023 to seven misdemeanor counts of reckless conduct. He served less than two months in jail.