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Kamala Harris Calls for Greater Gun Control During Unscheduled Visit to Highland Park

Amethyst Tate
·3-min read
Kamala Harris Calls for Greater Gun Control During Unscheduled Visit to Highland Park

Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to Highland Park, Illinois one day after a gunman opened fire during a Fourth of July parade, killing seven and injuring at least 24 others.

On Tuesday, the vice president, 57, made an unscheduled stop in the city with her husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, where they spoke with Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering and local law enforcement near the scene of the crime. ABC News reported that lawn chairs, bikes and strollers were still there abandoned from the day before.

"We are so sorry for what you have all experienced... This should never have happened. We talked about it being 'senseless' – it is. It is absolutely senseless," Harris said. "I want for you that you hold each other tight as a community, that you know that you have a whole nation who cares deeply about you and stands with you."

"This is an incredibly tight community, and this person will be brought to justice," she continued. "But it's not going to undo what happened."

RELATED: Highland Park Shooting Suspect Charged with 7 Counts of First-Degree Murder

US Vice President Kamala Harris visits the site of a shooting which left seven dead in Highland Park, Illinois
US Vice President Kamala Harris visits the site of a shooting which left seven dead in Highland Park, Illinois

KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AFP via Getty Images

Later in her brief remarks, the vice president advocated for greater gun control at the federal level, noting that such tragedies can happen "anywhere."

"We've got to be smarter as a country in terms of who has access to what, in particular assault weapons," Harris said. "And we've got to take this stuff seriously. The whole nation should understand and have a level of empathy to understand that this could happen anywhere in any peace-loving community. And we should stand together and speak out about why it's got to stop."

US Vice President Kamala Harris visits the site of a shooting which left seven dead in Highland Park, Illinois
US Vice President Kamala Harris visits the site of a shooting which left seven dead in Highland Park, Illinois

KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AFP via Getty Images

Earlier in the day, Harris stressed her message at a National Education Association meeting in nearby Chicago.

"We need to end this horror. We need to stop this violence," she said of the "senseless act of gun violence" in Highland Park, per USA Today. "And we must protect our communities from the terror of gun violence."

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US Vice President Kamala Harris visits the site of a shooting which left seven dead in Highland Park, Illinois
US Vice President Kamala Harris visits the site of a shooting which left seven dead in Highland Park, Illinois

Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Robert E. Crimo, III, the 22-year-old man accused of killing seven people and wounding dozens more during the July 4 parade in Highland Park, is set to appear in a bond court hearing Wednesday in Lake County at 10a.m., reported FOX32 Chicago. He has been charged with seven counts of first-degree murder and could face life in prison.

Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart said during a news conference Tuesday evening, captured by FOX6 in Milwaukee, that he expects to announce dozens of more charges against the shooter in the days ahead, including attempted murder, aggravated battery, and aggravated discharge.

Person of Interest Identified in Highland Park (IL) Fourth of July Parade Shooting July 4, 2022, 5:12 PM – Investigators from the City of Highland Park Police Department, the FBI, the Lake County Major Crime Task Force and law enforcement agencies throughout the area have been working tirelessly on the investigation of the active shooter at the Highland Park (IL) Fourth of July Parade. Through law enforcement partnerships and community information and leads, a person of interest has been identified as Robert (Bobby) E. Crimo III. He is twenty-two years old. He is believed to be driving a 2010 Silver Honda Fit, IL Lic. Plate DM 80653. A photograph is included below. Numerous federal, State and local law enforcement agencies working on apprehending this person of interest. Investigators continue to receive tips from the public and law enforcement partners, and will follow up on all of them. Individuals who have information to share with police, are urged to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI. The City of Highland Park extends its deepest condolences to the loved ones of those who were impacted by the horrific incident in our community. Further information regarding this investigation will be posted to cityhpil.com as available, and law enforcement will continue to provide regular briefings to the public. Person of Interest: Robert (Bobby) E. Crimo III

HIGHLAND PARK POLICE Robert Crimo

RELATED: Person of Interest Taken into Custody in Connection to July 4 Parade Shooting in Highland Park

"I want to emphasize that: there will be more charges. We anticipate dozens of more charges centering around each of the victims," Rinehart said.

Nine people, ranging from 14 to 70-years-old, remained hospitalized Tuesday, hospital officials said, according to the Associated Press.

The shooter reportedly planned the deadly attack for weeks, and on day of the parade, he dressed like a woman to avoid being identified and hid his rifle in a red blanket before climbing a fire escape to gain access to a rooftop on the parade route.

From that rooftop, he fired 70 rounds using a weapon being described as similar to an AR-15, a high powered rifle, which he discarded on the roof before blending into the crowd and fleeing to his mother's house, Christopher Covelli of the Lake County Major Crime Task Force said during a news conference following the massacre. The suspect managed to escape to Madison, Wisconsin before returning hours to later to Illinois, where he was apprehended by police officers.