July 4 Mass Shooter Had 1 Last Cowardly Act as Judge Handed Down Sentencing

Robert E. Crimo III, the Illinois gunman responsible for the 2022 Highland Park July 4 mass shooting, was sentenced to life in prison without parole on Thursday.

The sentencing came after a guilty plea in March, according to WTTW-TV, but Crimo couldn’t even muster the courage to face his victims’ families in court.

The 24-year-old shooter killed seven people and injured 48 others during the Independence Day parade in the Chicago suburb.

His attack left a community shattered, with survivors and families still grappling with the trauma nearly three years later.

Crimo’s sentencing hearing, held in Lake County Circuit Court in Waukegan, Illinois, was a moment of closure for many.

Judge Victoria Rossetti handed down seven consecutive life sentences, one for each murder, plus 50-year sentences for each of the 48 counts of attempted murder, ensuring he has no chance for parole.

But Crimo didn’t show up. In a final cowardly act, he refused to leave his cell at Lake County Jail, as noted by the Associated Press, denying victims’ families the chance to confront him directly.

His absence was a stinging reminder of his lack of remorse.

The hearing, which began Wednesday and concluded Thursday morning, included emotional testimony from survivors and relatives. Many had hoped to address Crimo in person, sharing the pain his actions caused, but were unable to.

“I don’t have to think about him anymore,” said survivor Liz Turnipseed during a press conference after the sentencing.

Her words captured the relief felt by many, who can now move forward, whether or not Crimo was there.

Crimo’s guilty plea in March came just before his trial was set to begin. He admitted to 21 counts of first-degree murder — three for each victim killed — and dozens of counts of attempted murder and aggravated battery.

The plea followed a tumultuous legal journey. In June 2024, Crimo backed out of an earlier plea deal at the last minute, leaving victims’ families devastated after they had prepared to face him in court.

The Highland Park shooting occurred on July 4, 2022, when Crimo opened fire from a rooftop during the parade. He used a rifle, killing and wounding victims ranging from an 8-year-old boy to an 88-year-old man.

The sentencing hearing was a chance for justice to be served, and Judge Rossetti ensured Crimo’s punishment fit the magnitude of his crimes.

“This court hopes this sentence brings a sense of justice,” she said.

The community of Highland Park, still healing, can take small solace in knowing Crimo will spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Justice has been served, even if he wouldn’t face it.

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