Highland Park parade shooting: Victims ID'd; grandfather, lifelong synagogue member among them
HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. (WLS) -- Officials Tuesday identified six of the victims killed in the Highland Park parade shooting on the Fourth of July.
A seventh person died Tuesday in a Cook County hospital and has not yet been identified. At least 39 people were injured after police said a shooter opened fire on the parade from a rooftop.
The victims range in age from 8 to 88 years old and include a lifelong member of a local synagogue and a loving grandfather.
WATCH: Lake County Coroner identifies Highland Park parade shooting victims
The Lake County Coroner identified the victims as:
- Katherine Goldstein, 64, of Highland Park
- Irina McCarthy, 35, of Highland Park
- Kevin McCarthy, 37, of Highland Park
- Jacquelyn Sundheim, 63, of Highland Park
- Stephen Straus, 88, of Highland Park
- Nicolas Toledo-Zargoza, 78 of Morelos, Mexico
Irina and Kevin McCarthy's 2-year-old son was found wandering alone in the wake of the shooting Monday, and safely reunited with his grandparents.
RELATED: Toddler found alone after Highland Park shooting lost both parents in massacre
Stephen Straus was a financial adviser who still took the train every day to his office at a brokerage firm in Chicago, his family said.
"He was an honorable man who worked his whole life," a niece said. "He should not have had to die this way."
Nicolas Toledo-Zargoza's family said he had worked around the Highland Park area for many years after arriving in the U.S. in the 1980s.
In a statement, his grandson said, "My grandpa was a funny man. He'd always joke around and be playful with his grandkids....he spent his last days swimming and fishing and being among family."
He was retired and lived in Mexico, but would come during the summer to spend time with his kids and grandchildren.
The North Shore Congregation Israel confirmed that Sundheim was a lifelong synagogue congregant and staff member.
In a statement, the congregation said, "...our beloved Jacki Sundheim was one of the victims murdered at the Highland Park parade."
They went on to call her a cherished member known for her kindness and warmth.
Katie Goldstein's husband and daughters said the same of her. No one has ever met anyone nicer, her husband said.
Police said Tuesday no children were killed, but a seventh victim died at Evanston Hospital, police said Tuesday afternoon.
WATCH: Doctor attending parade recalls tending to victims
Dr. Wendy Rush was at the parade and attended to the wounded.
"We heard the gunfire and then it stopped and multiple people, everybody was jumping into action," Dr. Rush said. "People identified themselves as physicians, as nurses, anyone who could help, had special skills. In our field as an anesthesiologist, we have very specialized skills managing breathing for people. We are very well trained in CPR and advanced life support and starting IVs and people were just helping all over."
President Joe Biden, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden 'shocked' by Highland Park parade shooting
Among some two dozen people wounded or injured in the attack was Chicago Public Schools teacher Zoe Kolpack and her husband, Steven.
Although their children were not hurt, the educator's father and brother-in-law were also shot and wounded. Kolpack teaches at Dever Elementary.
CPS said in a statement, "Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is devastated to learn that one of our CPS teachers and her family members are among those who were injured in Monday's mass shooting in Highland Park. We are thinking of our William Dever Elementary colleague and her family, as well as all those impacted by this tragedy. CPS officials have been in contact with the teacher and her family and our crisis team and support services will be available to support the Dever Elementary staff and students as needed."
Highland Park hospital officials said nine people remained hospitalized Tuesday, ranging in age from 14 to their 70s.
Four are in good condition, four remain stable and one, a 69-year-old man, is in critical condition. Eight of the nine patients were shot.
One patient, an 8-year-old boy, was taken to University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital.
Communities hold vigils after Highland Park shooting
Still reeling from the Highland Park shooting, people in nearby communities sought out prayer vigils for comfort and support.
Several churches coming together at the Lake Forest campus of Christ Church, inviting the community to mourn.
"I feel so sad at the loss of what has happened because it is so senseless," Johanna Arora said.
Arora said for her, the 4th of July will never be the same after police said 21-year old Bobby Crimo opened fire on Highland Park's parade, killing seven people and wounding dozens more.
According to Christ Church, Crimo attended services at the Highland Park campus in-person and via zoom off and on for the past two years. But Tuesday was about finding strength in prayer.
"I found it very healing and comforting, especially because I suffered a lot of losses this year in my relatives and friends. So this compounds the loss that I'm feeling," Arora said.
Bob and Mary Shaw are turning to their faith.
"I'm praying for all the families impacted by this," Mary said.
They said they have been impacted by gun violence.
"We happened to have been in Sandy Hook the day of the event," Bob said.
They were visiting family, including their grandchildren, who were students at the elementary school and survived the shooting 10 years ago. Since then, they have been advocates for gun control.
Other people attending the vigil said more has to be done to prevent this from happening again.
"It's going take work. It's going take work for people in my community, in this community here and here to all work together," said Lake Bluff Village President Regis Charlot.
There are multiple inter-religious prayer vigils taking place Tuesday afternoon and evening and more in the days to come as the community grieves and takes steps to heal.
