Robert Crimo III’s parents offer ‘thoughts and prayers’

The dad and mom of accused Highland Park mass shooter Robert Crimo III have provided their “ideas and prayers” to victims — because it emerged the suspect’s dad helped him purchase his weapons even after he was marked a “clear and current hazard” over earlier demise threats towards his relations.

Bob Crimo and his spouse, Denise, broke their silence after retaining a neighborhood lawyer — one who simply hours earlier had been tweeting outrage on the high-powered weapons his new consumer helped his son purchase.

“We’re all moms and dads, sisters and brothers, and this can be a horrible tragedy for a lot of households, the victims, the paradegoers, the neighborhood, and our personal,” the family said in a statement late Tuesday.

“Our hearts, ideas and prayers exit to everyone.”

Their legal professional, Steve Greenberg of Greenberg Trial Legal professionals, additionally stated that the dad and mom additionally “request that each one respect their privateness as they attempt to kind [through] this tragedy.”

Earlier than being retained, Greenberg had gone on a tirade concerning the capturing and lack of gun-control legal guidelines.

“That is my hometown the place I grew up and raised my youngsters. WTF is incorrect with folks. Nobody wants these excessive powered weapons!!!!!” he said. “F [Ted Cruz], Mitch McConnell and all like them.”

He stated he stood by the tweet even because it emerged his new consumer, the suspect’s dad, performed a pivotal position in permitting his son to purchase weapons even after the 21-year-old wannabe rapper had threatened “to kill everybody” in his household in September 2019.

Greenberg had on Tuesday insisted that the dad — a one-time mayoral candidate — solely sponsored his son’s gun-buying spree as a result of he had no concept concerning the threats nor the gathering of 16 knives, a dagger and a sword that have been confiscated on the time.

Nonetheless, Illinois State Police insisted late Tuesday that when the menace was investigated, “importantly, the daddy claimed the knives have been his and so they have been being saved within the particular person’s closet for safekeeping.

“Primarily based upon that data, the Highland Park Police returned the knives to the daddy later that afternoon,” the power stated.

The state power confirmed that native police alerted them to the truth that Crimo needs to be handled as a “clear and current hazard.”

Nonetheless, “there have been no arrests made within the September 2019 incident and nobody, together with household, was keen to maneuver ahead on a criticism nor did they subsequently present data on threats or psychological well being that might have allowed regulation enforcement to take further motion,” the power stated.

“Report signifies when police went to the house and requested the person if he felt like harming himself or others, he responded no,” the power additionally said.

As a result of Crimo didn’t possess a state firearm house owners identification (FOID) card that may very well be revoked or have a pending utility to disclaim, the state police involvement was closed, the power stated.

However simply three months later, when Crimo was 19, his father sponsored him within the first of 4 FOID playing cards to get his small arsenal of weapons, police stated.

As a result of Crimo had not been arrested and his household did not press costs or increase mental-health considerations, Crimo was in a position to skip Illinois “pink flag” regulation designed to stop folks deemed to have violent tendencies from getting weapons.

He handed 4 background checks within the buy of his weapons, all of them performed in 2020 and 2021, effectively after the 2019 incidents that drew police consideration, in keeping with the state police.

He purchased not less than 5 weapons, together with the AR-15-style rifle allegedly used to kill seven folks and injure not less than 30 through the Fourth of July parade.

Regardless of his consumer’s position in serving to his son get weapons, Greenberg stood by his earlier assaults, saying, “I’m 100% anti assault weapons.”

He insisted the focus should be on state police, not his consumer.

Illinois State Police “ought to ask why did THEY approve a FOID card and why do THEY permit the sale of assault weapons?” he tweeted.

Crimo was on Tuesday charged with seven counts of first-degree homicide and faces a compulsory life sentence if convicted.