Suspected Highland Park Killer Robert Crimo III Rejects Plea Deal

Lina Portman2 weeks ago

3 1 minute read

Top line

Robert Crimo III, the 23-year-old man accused of carrying out the 2022 mass shooting at a Fourth of July parade in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park, Illinois, rejected a plea deal on Wednesday. plea, several media reported, almost two years later. he was charged with more than 100 counts for the shooting that killed seven people and injured dozens.

Crimo was charged with more than 100 counts for the shooting.

Associated Press

Highlights

Under the plea agreement, Crimo would have pleaded guilty to seven counts of murder, as well as 48 counts of aggravated battery, and would have been sentenced to life in prison, the remainder of charges being dismissed, according to several media outlets.

Crimo and prosecutors had agreed to a plea deal, but he refused to answer to Judge Victoria Rossetti in court Wednesday and ultimately declined the deal after an abrupt suspension, multiple media outlets reported.

Rossetti set a tentative trial date for February 25, 2025, according to CNN.

Crimo was charged with 21 counts of first-degree murder – three counts per victim – as well as 48 counts of attempted murder and 48 counts of aggravated battery in July 2022, and pleaded not guilty to all charges in August.

This is a breaking story and will be updated.

Key context

Prosecutors say Crimo opened fire during a Fourth of July parade from a rooftop in Highland Park, Illinois, in 2022, allegedly planning the shooting weeks in advance. Seven people were killed in the shooting and dozens more were injured, including an 8-year-old boy who was left paralyzed after being shot in the back. Local authorities said they believed Crimo planned to commit another shooting the same day in Madison, Wisconsin, when he was driving into town after the shooting and had about 60 rounds of ammunition in his car. Crimo was arrested the day of the shooting and charged on July 22, 2022.