Robert Crimo Jr., father of the Highland Park massacre suspect, intends to call his son, Robert Crimo III, to the witness stand in his upcoming trial. Crimo Jr. faces charges of reckless conduct for approving his son's gun-ownership application in 2019 when the latter was underage. The Chicago Sun-Times notes that Crimo Jr.'s attorney, George Gomez, has lodged multiple motions, including one seeking to bring video footage of Crimo III's lengthy police interrogation into evidence.
The shooting on July 4, 2022, in Highland Park, which resulted in seven fatalities and 48 injuries, is the focus of this high-profile case. Both father and son have pleaded not guilty to their respective charges, as reported by WTTW. On the anniversary of the tragic incident, locals and officials are seen reflecting on the lives lost and the enduring impact on their community.
Awaiting trial on 117 felony charges, including 21 counts of first-degree murder is alleged gunman, Robert Crimo III. The survivors, which include a toddler and a child paralyzed from the waist down, anticipate justice while the legal process moves at its own pace. Despite the desire of Crimo Jr.'s counsel for the son's testimony, it is still unclear whether Crimo III will be available for testimony at his father's trial. The emotional journey for all parties involved will continue as the case unfolds.
Central to the case against Crimo Jr. is his disputed role in aiding his son to secure a Firearms Owner Identification (FOID) card. Prosecutors claim he signed his son's application in December 2019, thereby taking a 'reckless and unjustified risk'; WTTW reports that at the time Crimo III, legally unable to obtain an FOID card or purchase weapons without parental consent, was only 19. Once in possession of his FOID card, Crimo III proceeded to purchase multiple firearms throughout 2020 and 2021.
Worth noting is that Highland Park police had two encounters with Crimo III in 2019, prior to his father signing his FOID application. Allegedly, he attempted suicide in April and threatened family members in September, stating he was 'going to kill everyone.' These past incidents form the basis of the prosecution's argument that Crimo Jr. should have recognized his son's volatile state, reckoning the potential consequences of helping him acquire firearms.
