Father of suspected Highland Park shooter turns himself in to Lake County Jail
Robert Crimo Jr. (Lake County Sheriff's Office)
WAUKEGAN, Ill. - The father of the alleged Highland Park mass shooter turned himself in on Wednesday as ordered by a judge following his guilty plea last week.
Robert Crimo Jr. pleaded guilty to several misdemeanor charges for helping his son get the gun used in the deadly mass shooting on Independence Day last year.
Crimo arrived at the Lake County courthouse wearing a white T-shirt with large black letters reading: "I'm A Political Pawn." The back said: "LAWS, FACTS, REALITY." He turned it inside out before entering the courtroom, but the judge threatened to hold him in contempt of court if he violated court rules again, according to his lawyer, George Gomez, who said he did not know what his client's shirt meant.
A court decorum order for the case prohibits any spectator from wearing or displaying a message that could affect the orderly administration of proceedings.
"I believe that his shirt today shows that he is not taking this seriously, that he is not remorseful for his acts, which caused so much pain and damage," Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart told reporters. "I think we’ve learned a lot about how Mr. Crimo looks at this case."
He had been charged with seven counts of reckless conduct - one for each person his son, Robert Crimo III, is accused of killing in the attack.
In 2019, at the age of 19, Crimo III was too young to apply for his own gun license, but he could apply with the sponsorship of a parent or guardian. His father sponsored his application, even though just months earlier a relative reported to police that Crimo III had a collection of knives and had threatened to "kill everyone."
As part of his plea deal, he'll serve 60 days in jail. He'll also complete 100 hours of community service.
Crimo Jr. had no comment on his sentence or charges. Gomez said the plea was made in part to ensure his son received a fair trial, since details and evidence from the shooting would have been widely aired during a trial of his own.
Crimo III remains jailed on charges that he opened fire with an assault rifle on parade-goers on July 4, 2022, killing seven and wounding 48 others. His trial date has not been set, but he still could plead guilty to avoid trial. His next court date is Dec. 11.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.