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The uncle of suspected Highland Park mass shooter Robert Crimo III has expressed his remorse and apologized for the Fourth of July massacre.
Paul Crimo, the shooter's uncle, offered his condolences to the victims and the people who were injured in the mass shooting. He made the apology after learning that Robert was named the person of interest in the July 4 bloodshed.
He said:
"I just want to say I'm deeply, deeply sorry for everyone that lost their lives and got injured. From the bottom of my heart, I'm heartbroken, and my heart is shattered to hear this. I can't even believe it."
The uncle said that the while the 21-year-old offender stayed in a separate apartment in the back of his house, Paul and Robert's father shared a residence.
The Crimos are a well-known family in the neighborhood
Authorities have stated that they feel that Crimo III fired into the crown from a rooftop with a powerful AR-15-style rifle. The shooting killed several unarmed citizens and injured more than a dozen other people.
Paul Crimo is reported to be well-known in the neighborhood along with his brother Robert Crimo Jr., who unsuccessfully ran for mayor of Highland Park in 2019.
Paul said:
"We have a good character. Everybody loves us, and this just breaks my heart to hear about all this."
Multiple reports have stated that Paul Crimo stated that he didn't notice any precursors to the incident. He told sources that he had last seen his nephew late on Sunday.
Paul Crimo also revealed that his nephew Robert Crimo III was a YouTube rapper who didn't attend college and enjoyed drawing but stayed to himself. He had previously worked for Panera but recently lost his job.
The accused shooter's uncle said:
"He's a real quiet kid, he keeps everything to himself, and he doesn't express himself out."
Paul, reportedly, said that Robert Crimo III is slightly shocked following the Fourth of July mass shooting in the Chicago suburb.
Robert Crimo III had allegedly threatened to shoot his family in 2019
Police were called to Crimo's residence in April 2019 after Robert Crimo III attempted suicide before threatening to kill his family members. Authorities also confirmed that the shooter had allegedly stockpiled a large number of knives around the same time.
Following his two disturbing encounters with law enforcement in 2019, authorities discovered that 21-year-old Crimo had lawfully bought at least five firearms. These included the AR-15-style rifle he is accused of having used in the recent massacre.
Christopher Covelli said that officers met with Robert E. "Bobby" Crimo III and his parents following the two encounters. However, Covelli, a spokesman for the Lake County Major Crime Task Force Office, also added that the case was occasionally handled by mental health specialists.
Covelli said:
"There was no law enforcement action to be taken. It was a mental-health issue handled by those professionals."
Covelli said that since none of Robert Crimo's relatives had signed complaints about the incident, there was no probable cause to detain him at the time.
