Shooter pleads guilty to Chicago Fourth of July massacre

The 24-year-old man accused of shooting seven people to death during a 2022 parade pleaded guilty on Monday just before his scheduled trial. Robert E. Crimo III faced charges of murder and attempted murder for opening fire during an Independence Day parade outside Chicago. The admission came just before opening arguments in Crimo’s trial in an Illinois circuit court. Crimo did not address the court at length and gave one-word answers to questions after reversing his earlier plea of not guilty, according to courtroom reporting by the Associated Press. His sentencing is scheduled for April 23.

What happened at the shooting? Crimo was accused of firing more than 70 shots with an AR-15-style rifle from a rooftop overlooking a Fourth of July parade route. About 30 people were injured in the attack besides the seven that were killed. Crimo initially evaded police by dressing as a woman but was detained after an hour-long manhunt.

Dig deeper: Read Mary Muncy’s report on the shooting days after the attack.