6 people shot and killed at Fourth of July parade in Illinois

Police in Highland Park, a suburb of Chicago, say that at least six people were killed and more than two dozen others were injured when a gunman opened fire during a Fourth of July parade on Monday.

According to O’Neill, police are still looking for an 18 to 20-year-old white male suspect wearing a T-shirt at the time.

He stated a gun had been found at the scene. He described the shooting as “completely random” and claimed the perpetrator looked to be shooting from a rooftop. As a result of his advice, several people chose to take cover.

Hospital representatives say that 31 patients were taken to the hospital. In the wake of a gunshot in Highland Park, about 25 miles north of Chicago, hundreds of people fled, prompting a police reaction from local, state, and federal authorities.

The city of Highland Park has postponed its annual Fourth of July parade and encouraged residents to stay away from the downtown area. Police in Illinois said they are responding to a “reported active shooter” in an assist role. In contrast, the FBI Chicago says it has sent resources to the scene, according to a spokesman the agency.

People who witnessed the incident described it as a pleasant parade disrupted by the sound of gunfire and the subsequent commotion.

At 10:20 a.m. CT, roughly 20 minutes after the march had begun, Miles Zaremski claimed he heard between 20 to 30 gunshots in two separate bursts of shooting. There was a stampede away from the hail of bullets, he claimed. In an interview with CNN, he said he witnessed many individuals with injuries and described the scene as frantic and chaotic.

Brad Schneider, a U.S. Representative for the area, tweeted that he was on the scene during the incident. “My campaign team and I were gathering at the start of the parade when the shooting started. My team and I are safe and secure.”

With his wife and 7-year-old twins, Warren Fried was at the parade and saw police and an ambulance pass by him. He then heard a variety of gunshots. They raced to their car as people began screaming things like “shooter” and “run.” “People were hiding, kids were on the streets looking for their parents, just in a state of shock,” he added.

According to the city’s website, the Fourth of July parade would feature floats, marching bands, novelty groups, community entries, and other unique entertainment.

Per the city, it was to begin at 10 a.m. CT near the Laurel and St. John’s Avenue intersection and proceed north along St. John’s and then west along Central Avenue until it reached Sunset Park.

Due to the incident, local 4th of July celebrations in Deerfield and Evanston were postponed.