Highland Park shooting: First two victims identified as Fourth of July parade tragedy leaves six dead

Authorities have identified two victims of the Highland Park shooting. One was Nicholas Toledo, a grandfather from Mexico who was visiting the US. The second victim to be identified was Jacki Sundheim, a staffer at North Shore Congregation Israel.

They were two of the six people killed when aspiring rapper Robert E Crimo allegedly opened fire on a July 4 parade.

ABC reported that in the wake of the attack, Northshore Highland Park Hospital treated at least 25 people for gunshot wounds. While 19 were discharged, six other victims are still being treated.

Dr. Brigham Temple, medical director of emergency preparedness, told ABC that the remaining six victims are in "more serious condition."

Temple told ABC that while the youngest victim was 8, the oldest was 85. One was being treated at Evanston Hospital, while the other was sent to the University of Chicago hospital.

Robert E Cremo, the suspected gunman, has been arrested and taken into police custody. His charges have not yet been formally announced.

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Nicholas Toledo's family sheds light on the Highland Park victim

In an interview with ABC, the grandson of the Highland shooting victim, David Toledo, told reporters about his grandfather. David Toledo said:

"My grandpa was a funny man. He'd always joke around and be playful with his grandkids."

He added:

"He arrived [at] the U.S. in the '80s and worked around the Highland Park area for many years. He spent his last days swimming and fishing and being among family."

According to Marca, Nicholas Toledo was one of five adult victims who died at the scene of the shooting.

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Responses to the death of Jacki Sundheim

In an official statement, the North Shore Congregation Israel in Glencoe, Illinois, described Jacki Sundheim as a dedicated staffer for the synagogue.

The statement said:

"There are no words sufficient to express the depth of our grief for Jacki's death and sympathy for her family and loved ones."

It added:

"Jacki was a lifelong congregant of NSCI and a cherished member of NSCI’s staff team for decades."

The statement went on to reveal that the Highland Park victim was a former preschool teacher. The synagogue's website also revealed that she was the Reform Synagogue's Events and B'nei Mitzvah co-ordinator.

According to the Gun Violence Archive, the Highland Park massacre is among 309 mass shootings seen in the US in 2022. If the trend continues, it will rise to record-breaking numbers.

In response to these mass shootings, President Joe Biden signed a bill into law last month that is the first significant federal bill on gun safety in decades.