In the aftermath of a massacre perpetrated on the day of the American national holiday, the city of Highland Park, in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, was torn on Tuesday between pain and incomprehension, wondering about the motive of Robert “Bobby” E. Crimo III, 21 years old. Armed with a “powerful” rifle – AR-15 type semi-automatic rifle, a civilian version of the US Army assault rifle – Robert Crimo opened fire on the crowd from the roof of a building as Hundreds of residents attended the traditional 4th of July parade, killing six and injuring twenty-six.

“He’s been planning this attack for several weeks,” said Christopher Covelli of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. “We have no information to suggest at this stage that the act was motivated by race, religion,” he added, noting that Robert Crimo “was disguised as a woman” to hide his identity and may have worn a long hair wig to hide his facial tattoos. The police chief explained that after firing some seventy shots, the shooter mixed in with the crowd, returned to his mother’s house and took his car. He was arrested without difficulty, he had a second weapon in his vehicle, purchased legally.

Police agencies had released a photo of a diaphanous, gaunt-faced, tattooed young man portrayed as an aspiring Chicago rapper nicknamed “Awake the Rapper,” known for posting tracks that were removed by YouTube and Spotify, reports the Washington Post.

Violent videos

According to the Chicago Tribune, a video posted eight months ago shows a young man believed to be Robert Crimo in a bedroom and classroom with posters of a gunman and people being shot. And an audio commentary: “I just need to do this,” then “it’s my destiny.” Everything led me to this. Nothing can stop me, not even myself.” Images archived on the suspect’s Twitter account show him in particular with a flag of support for former Republican President Donald Trump on his back.

His internet posts “reflected a plan and a desire to commit carnage long in advance,” Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering said in an interview with NBC. She told CNN that she knew the young man when he was a Boy Scout: “That’s where you have to think and wonder what happened: how did someone get so angry, so full of hate to go after innocent people spending a day with family? “, did she say. Paul Crimo, the suspect’s uncle, told CNN on Tuesday that he saw “no signs that would explain what he did.”