As Matt reported earlier in the aftermath of the tragic shooting at an Independence Day parade in Highland Park, Illinois, it was revealed that the alleged perpetrator was known to area law enforcement. With sparse details, there were still questions about whether authorities knew of the suspect's violent online posts or whether there was more in the alleged shooter's background that may have been part of information shared by law enforcement in Illinois.
It turns out, according to a press briefing with Lake County Sheriff's Department Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli that took place Tuesday evening, the alleged shooter was more than known by authorities but had multiple encounters for violent or threatening behavior.
As Deputy Chief Covelli explained, the alleged shooter, Mr. Crimo, came to be known to law enforcement following a report of the suspect's attempted suicide more than two years ago:
In April of 2019, an individual contacted Highland Park Police Department a week after learning of Mr. Crimo attempting suicide. This was a delayed report so Highland Park still responded to the residence a week later, spoke with Crimo, spoke with Crimo's parents, and the matter was being handled by mental health professionals at that time. There was no law enforcement action to be taken — it was a mental health issue handled by those professionals.
But that wasn't the only time authorities were called to the suspect's residence in 2019. The second time, police seized more than a dozen knives following the suspect's reported threat that to "kill everyone" that led to state authorities being made aware of the alleged shooter:
The second occurred in September of 2019. A family member reported that Crimo said he was going to kill everyone and Crimo had a collection of knives. The police responded to his residence. The police removed 16 knives, a dagger, and a sword from Crimo's home. At that time there was no probable cause to arrest, there were no complaints that were signed by any of the victims. The Highland Park Police, however, did immediately notify the Illinois State Police of the incident.
So, the Illinois State Police were notified in September of 2019 that the alleged shooter had knives and more confiscated after saying he'd "kill everyone." When asked a followup question about what Illinois State Police did with the information from Highland Park Police, Covelli restated the fact and added "where it goes from there I don't want to speak to." What did the state police do with that information? Did they follow whatever state law required of them? If not, what happened? Those questions are some of many that will need to be answered in the days ahead.
Curiously, on Tuesday afternoon, ABC News tweeted out a video of Deputy Chief Covelli's statement to the press, but their clip cut him off just before finishing his sentence and disclosing that the Illinois State Police were immediately notified of the September incident. Why cut the clip there, mid-sentence?
ABC News cut this clip mid-sentence right before the deputy chief says "the Highland Park Police, however, did immediately notify the Illinois State Police of the incident." Seems like an important detail? https://t.co/mTcTEF1MAW
— Spencer Brown (@itsSpencerBrown) July 5, 2022
USA Today also used a similar apparent selective edit that omitted the fact that state police were notified, cutting off the deputy chief mid-sentence.
Whatever the reason, and as Vespa pointed out, it seems more often than not suspected shooters were known to law enforcement or should have been ineligible to purchase a firearm before they committed their horrific crimes. In this case, according to Deputy Chief Covelli, the alleged shooter owned five firearms. Vespa has more on how he purchased them here.
Yet every time, the Democrat solution is more restrictive gun laws that punish law-abiding gun owners, aren't followed by criminals, and fail to be properly implemented by the government. How many times will officials be allowed to botch situations like this, Uvalde, Parkland, and elsewhere before people fail to be convinced that more government is the solution? These suspects are almost always "on law enforcement's radar" before they perpetrate these acts, yet where are the calls for reform for those responsible instead of attacks against law-abiding Americans who did nothing wrong?
The suspect is talking with investigators, according to Covelli. Later on Tuesday afternoon following the deputy chief's statement, Lake County State's Attorney announced that the alleged shooter was charged with seven counts of first-degree murder on Tuesday, but more charges are expected to follow as investigators continue gathering evidence.
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