Police arrest suspect in July 4th parade shooting in US that left 6 dead

By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) - Police arrested a suspect late Monday in a mass shooting that left six people dead at a Fourth of July Independence Day parade in the US state of Illinois.

The shooting, which took place earlier in the day in the wealthy Chicago suburb of Highland Park, also left at least 24 others wounded.

Highland Park Police Chief Lou Jogmen identified the "person of interest" as 22-year-old Robert E. Crimo III.

Jogmen said when a police officer tried to “initiate a traffic stop,” Crimo attempted to flee, which was followed by a brief pursuit.

"Ultimately they were able to get the subject stopped in Lake Forest. The subject was taken into custody without incident," he told a news conference.

According to The New York Times, the ages of the wounded in the shooting ranged between 8 and 85 years old.

The gunman fired a high-powered rifle from a roof during the parade and the firearm has been recovered from the scene, police said in an earlier press conference.

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker thanked law enforcement agencies for their efforts in the arrest of the suspected gunman.

"This murderer will be brought to justice," he said at a press conference.

Noting that he had a phone call with President Joe Biden, Pritzker said: "This madness has to stop.”