Father of accused Highland Park shooter charged with seven counts of reckless conduct

In 2019, Robert Crimo Jr. sponsored his son’s application for a gun permit because he was underage at the time.

Robert Crimo Jr. walks out of courthouse with Denise Pesina and George Gomez
Robert Crimo Jr. (center), father of Robert Crimo III, walks out of the Lake County Courthouse in August with Denise Pesina, mother of Robert Crimo III, and attorney George Gomez. Crimo Jr. was charged on Friday. Robert Crimo III faces multiple murder counts and other charges stemming from the Highland Park massacre. Pat Nabong / Chicago Sun-Times
Robert Crimo Jr. walks out of courthouse with Denise Pesina and George Gomez
Robert Crimo Jr. (center), father of Robert Crimo III, walks out of the Lake County Courthouse in August with Denise Pesina, mother of Robert Crimo III, and attorney George Gomez. Crimo Jr. was charged on Friday. Robert Crimo III faces multiple murder counts and other charges stemming from the Highland Park massacre. Pat Nabong / Chicago Sun-Times

Father of accused Highland Park shooter charged with seven counts of reckless conduct

In 2019, Robert Crimo Jr. sponsored his son’s application for a gun permit because he was underage at the time.

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The father of the alleged gunman from the Highland Park mass shooting was charged with seven counts of reckless conduct, Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart announced Friday afternoon.

Robert E. Crimo III is accused of fatally shooting seven people and wounding dozens of others who lined the streets of Highland Park for its Fourth of July parade earlier this year.

In 2019, Robert Crimo Jr. sponsored his son’s application for a gun permit because he was underage at the time. In early 2020, Crimo III got a state firearm owner’s identification card, despite his previous threats to kill himself and his family, authorities said back in July.

“Robert Crimo Jr., the father, took a reckless and unjustified risk to sign his son’s application for a firearm owner identification card,” Rinehart said.

Each count is for the seven people who were killed. Crimo Jr. surrendered himself on Friday and will appear before a judge on Saturday to set his bond.

He needed the FOID card to legally purchase the Smith & Wesson M&P15 semiautomatic rifle that police and prosecutors said he used to carry out the Fourth of July massacre.

Police recovered the rifle in Highland Park and found another rifle in the car Crimo drove that day. He also had pistols in a home where he lived in nearby Highwood, authorities said.

The two rifles were bought legally in the Chicago area, authorities said.

Back in July, Brandon Kelly, director of the Illinois State Police, said there wasn’t enough evidence to deny Crimo III a FOID card based on the report of violent threats toward his family.