Highland Park shooter sentenced to life for July 4 parade massacre

Robert E. Crimo III, the man responsible for the 2022 Highland Park Independence Day parade shooting that killed seven people and wounded dozens more, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Lake County Judge Victoria Rossetti ordered seven consecutive life sentences after hearing emotional testimony from survivors and victims' families, describing Crimo as 'irretrievably depraved' and 'beyond any rehabilitation.' Crimo changed his plea to guilty just before his trial was set to begin, thereby sparing the community a lengthy trial. He refused to attend his sentencing and declined to provide a statement, with his public defender noting that Crimo always knew he faced life in prison. Survivors shared how the tragedy has deeply impacted their lives, with some calling Crimo a 'monster' and others turning to faith for forgiveness. The youngest victim, an eight-year-old boy, was left paralyzed from the waist down, underscoring the lasting devastation caused by the attack.