In a video on social media, it can be seen that the participants of the parade run away in panic as soon as they are suddenly fired with bullets.
Six people were killed and at least 24 injured in a shooting at a Fourth of July parade in a Chicago suburb today.
According to local reports, minutes after the festivities began, a gunman opened fire at the parade from the roof of a retail store.
suspected shooter, Robert Cremo, 22, has been arrested. Highland Park Police Chief Lou Jogmen told reporters he was taken into custody “without incident” after a brief car chase.
In a video on social media, parade participants are seen suddenly running in panic as shots are fired in the streets of Highland Park, an affluent suburban town. The families are watching the parade while sitting on the sidewalk. In the next frame, they are seen leaping off the ground and running, shouting “gunshot” can be heard in the background.
The moment the crowd realized they had a mass shooting at their Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois. Unfortunately, nothing is more American than this tragedy. pic.twitter.com/beXt9uYP3F
— Read Wobblies and Zapatistas (@Joshua Potash) 4 July 2022
“At this time, two dozen people have been taken to Highland Park Hospital. Six have been confirmed dead,” said city police commander Chris O’Neill.
The City of Highland Park announced that all 4th of July celebrations have been canceled as a result. “Highland Park Police are responding to an incident in Downtown Highland Park. All July 4th events have been cancelled. Please avoid Downtown Highland Park. If HP takes shelter in downtown. More information will be shared as it becomes available.” ,” read Facebook on its post.
According to the Gun Violence Archive website, firearms cause approximately 40,000 deaths each year in the United States, including suicide.
The debate over gun control – a deeply divisive issue in the country – was reignited by two massacres in May, in which 10 black supermarket shoppers were shot in New York and 21 killed at an elementary school in Texas, mostly were small children. ,
In the wake of those killings, Congress passed the first significant bill on gun safety in decades. President Joe Biden signed it into law in late June, saying it would save lives even when it falls short of what’s actually needed.
With inputs from AFP.