Chicago Fourth of July parade shooting: Witnesses report seeing bodies covered with blankets at event

Police are responding to reports of a shooting at a July Fourth parade in a Chicago suburb, with witnesses describing seeing bloodied bodies covered with blankets.

According to The Chicago Sun-Times, the parade was stopped after just 10 minutes when shots were fired.

Several witnesses told the newspaper that they heard gunfire just after 10am and that hundreds of parade-goers - some visibly bloodied - fled the route, leaving behind chairs, pushchairs and blankets.

A Sun-Times reporter saw blankets placed over three bloodied bodies.

Police told people: "It is not safe to be here."

Debbie Glickman, a Highland Park resident, told Associated Press she was on a parade float with co-workers when she saw people running away from the area.

"People started saying 'there's a shooter, there's a shooter, there a shooter'.

"So we just ran. We just ran. It's like mass chaos down there."

City leaders said on Twitter: "Police are responding to an incident in downtown Highland Park. Fourth Fest has been cancelled. Please avoid downtown Highland Park. More information will be shared as it becomes available."