Chicago shooting suspect dressed as a woman as he escaped the scene, police say

The man suspected of shooting dead six people in Chicago was dressed as a woman to hide his facial tattoos, in a bid to blend in as he escaped the scene, police have said.

Robert E Crimo III, 21, was arrested after the shooting at a Fourth of July parade in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park.

He is alleged to have climbed up a ladder onto the roof of a business before shooting at the crowd with an assault rifle.

The injured range in age from eight to 85, and include four or five children.

Watch: Gunman suspected of killing six at Fourth of July parade in Chicago arrested

It comes just weeks after 19 children and two teachers were shot dead at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, and 10 people were shot dead at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York.

And just hours after the Chicago shooting, two police officers were shot in Philadelphia, although they have since been released from hospital.

There have been 15 shootings this year in which four or more people have been killed, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press, USA Today, and Northeastern University.