Six people were fatally shot at a Fourth of July parade near the US city of Chicago, according to officials, and the shooter is still at large. When numerous shots were heard shortly after 10:00 local (15:00 GMT), the event in the city of Highland Park was abruptly stopped. To ensure their safety, residents have been encouraged to stay at home and call their loved ones. 24 individuals, according to city officials, were also hospitalized. According to Christopher Covelli, spokesman for the Lake County Major Crime Task Force, “We are aggressively looking for the individual responsible for this shooting,”
Police have identified the culprit as a white male, between the ages of eighteen and twenty, who is “armed and dangerous” and seems to have randomly chosen to shoot paradegoers with a powerful rifle. Police were still looking for him more than six hours later, concentrating their search on the parade route, the downtown area, and the central business district with the help of police dogs and drones. Residents in this location, which the police referred to as an “active crime scene,” were told to stay indoors. Beaches have been closed off, nearby suburbs are now under lockdown, and regional parades and fireworks displays have been postponed.
Just a few minutes after the parade started at 10:15 local time (15:15 GMT), the alleged shooter started firing at the crowd. As part of the city’s Independence Day festivities, floats, marching bands, and other community entertainment were planned for the event. But what should have been one of the happiest days of the year suddenly descended into chaos, with people fleeing the scene and leaving pushchairs, purses, and lawn chairs on the pavement. Police said they found “evidence of a firearm” on the rooftop of a nearby store, where the suspect is thought to have fired shots at bystanders.
In addition to the additional casualty who the local coroner reported passed away in a nearby hospital, five individuals perished at the scene. Mayor Nancy Rotering of the city stated, “On a day that we came together to celebrate community and freedom, we’re instead mourning the tragic loss of life,” The Fourth of July is a federal holiday commemorating the day in 1776 when the American colonies formally proclaimed their independence from Great Britain.
