Robert Crimo Jr: Highland Park shooter's dad charged with reckless conduct for helping son buy firearms
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: Robert Crimo Jr, the father of the Highland Park mass shooter was charged with seven counts of reckless conduct for assisting his son to obtain the gun that was used in the July rampage that left seven dead. Crimo Jr helped his son, Robert “Bobby” Crimo III, in buying firearms despite the 21-year-old’s history of mental illness and threats of violence, claim prosecutors. The Lake County State’s Attorney, Eric Reinhart, announced the charges and said they are related to Crimo Jr’s sponsorship of his son’s Illinois firearm owner's ID card.
“Parents and guardians are in the best position to decide whether their teenager should have a weapon. They are the first line of defense. In this case, that system failed when Robert Crimo Jr sponsored his son,” said Reinhart, according to The Sun. “He knew what he knew, and he signed the form anyway. This was criminally reckless and a contributing cause to the bodily harm suffered by the victims on July 4th.” The father of the 21-year-old was charged with one count for each victim in the mass murder and turned himself in on Friday, December 16. He is due in bond court on Saturday.
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Bobby legally purchased at least five guns with his new firearms license, including the Smith & Wesson M&P 15 he’s accused of using to fire more than 80 rounds during the mass shooting. He is facing 117 charges in the parade massacre that killed seven people and injured dozens more. Initially, his father stated that he reportedly didn’t regret sponsoring his son for a FOID (Firearm Owners Identification) card which allowed him to buy weapons legally.
The entire ordeal was described as a "nightmare" by Crimo Jr, adding that he and his family were just as dismayed because he believed his son was raised with good morals. “You know, I'm just in upheaval. Of everything. Emotions. I mean, it's just, it's numbing and I don't know how else to explain it. Like I'm in a bad dream right now,” he said back in July. “As a father, I pretty much lost a son," as per the news outlet. He reportedly ran for Highland Park mayor in April 2019 and lost.
As per the police records, the Highland Park Police Department determined that Bobby posed “clear and present danger” after a family member claimed that he threatened to “kill everyone” in September 2019. “Making threats to the family - I think it’s taken on a context where it's like just a child's outburst, whatever he was upset about,” said Crimo Jr. He sponsored his son’s under-21 firearm owner's ID card three months later which was approved by Illinois State Police and renewed when Bobby turned 21, as per reports.
“Guilty, no. He did it all on his own", said Crimo Jr when asked if he felt guilty about sponsoring his son. “I filled out the consent form to allow my son to go through the process that the Illinois State Police have in place for an individual to obtain a FOID card. Like that's all it was, a consent form to allow my son to go through the process. They do background checks.”
Twitter users were also delighted to see Robert Crimo Jr getting hit with seven counts of reckless conduct. One user tweeted, "Finally... This, you guys need this to happen more often... (Or, you know, enact common sense guns laws like any other countries have...)" Another said, "I have long said, if a shooter uses his Grandfather’s, Father’s, Uncle’s, cousins’s gun, etc. that family member needs to go to jail. They are responsible as well. Yes, there will be exceptions but in principal, this needs to happen!"
Finally... This, you guys need this to happen more often...
— Nat Di Fiore 🇨🇦 (💔🇺🇦) (@RavynJensen) December 16, 2022
(Or, you know, enact common sense guns laws like any other countries have...)
I have long said, if a shooter uses his Grandfather’s, Father’s, Uncle’s, cousins’s gun, etc. that family member needs to go to jail. They are responsible as well. Yes, there will be exceptions but in principal, this needs to happen!
— Lynda Coakley (@missboston70) December 16, 2022
A user said, "This is a good first step. People who sponsor other peoples ownership of guns need to really think about it before they sign that sponsorship. They need to be held responsible absolutely" while another added, "Good…he should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, no charge reductions, no plea deals." "Yes! I live in Highland Park and this guy flagrantly lied and jeopardized everyone's safety because of his lies" tweeted one user.
This is a good first step. People who sponsor other peoples ownership of guns need to really think about it before they sign that sponsorship. They need to be held responsible absolutely.
— Lynda Coakley (@missboston70) December 16, 2022
Good…he should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, no charge reductions, no plea deals.
— Dave Millar (@davemillar71) December 16, 2022
Yes! I live in Highland Park and this guy flagrantly lied and jeopardized everyone's safety because of his lies.
— 🇻🇮 LicitMango (@LicitMango) December 16, 2022
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