Highland Park Fourth of July parade shooting: Robert Crimo Jr., mass shooting suspect’s father, released on bail

Robert Crimo Jr., whose son has been charged with killing seven people and wounding dozens more at the Highland Park Fourth of July parade, was released Saturday from the Lake County Jail on $50,000 bail.

Crimo looked somber and tired as he appeared before a judge Saturday after surrendering to police Friday on seven felony counts of reckless conduct for sponsoring his son Robert E. Crimo III’s application for a state firearm owner’s identification card two years before the mass shooting.

During a 10-minute hearing, Lake County Judge Jacquelyn Melius set bail and ordered Crimo to turn in any weapons he has at his home and his FOID card.

Crimo’s lawyer George M. Gomez told the judge his client poses no threat, has no criminal record and has close ties to the community. 

In 2019, when Crimo’s son was underage and unable to do so on his own, he signed off on his son’s application for a FOID card, which Crimo III received in early 2020.

The younger Crimo, who previously had threatened to kill himself and his family, was then able to legally purchase the weapons authorities say he used in the Highland Park shooting. 

Announcing the charges Friday, Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart called the father’s sponsorship “a reckless and unjustified risk” and said, “The system failed when Robert Crimo Jr. sponsored his son.”

Crimo III is jailed without bail on murder, attempted murder and battery charges.

Crimo Jr. has said in interviews that he didn’t think he did anything wrong in helping his son obtain a FOID card.

Contributing: AP