Couple spotted alleged Highland Park shooter's car, alerted police with help of ABC7 Facebook page

Eric Horng Image
Tuesday, July 12, 2022
Couple spotted alleged Highland Park shooter's car with help of ABC7
A couple spotted the car driven by alleged Highland Park parade shooting suspect Robert Crimo III with the help of ABC7 Chicago's Facebook page.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A couple spotted the suspected Highland Park parade shooter's car while he was on the run with the help of ABC7's Facebook page.

A Waukegan man, who did not want to be identified, was driving with his father-in-law and fiancée that Monday, returning from a hiking trip in Wisconsin, when they spotted Robert "Bobby" Crimo III's vehicle on the southbound U.S. 41 near Wadsworth.

He said his fiancée had been on the ABC7 Facebook page and learned Crimo was driving a Honda Fit. He looked in his rearview mirror and saw a Honda Fit, so he changed lanes, slowed down, and asked his father-in-law to casually look at the driver as he passed. The driver matched the suspect's description.

SEE ALSO | 'Screaming out for help': Highland Park shooting suspect's social media littered with hatred

The man's fiancée went back to the ABC7 Facebook page and confirmed the license plate number.

He then called 911, and police kept him on the line for 13 minutes as he relayed location information to multiple operators. He continued following Crimo, but was careful not to look like he was tailing him, staying behind a couple of vehicles. He said Crimo was not speeding and was driving normally.

Finally, two North Chicago Police squad cars pulled up alongside him and moved in front of him, as if to signal that they had it from here.

It all ended at U.S. 41 and Westleigh Road. The Waukegan man did not witness the arrest because he was a distance back. He called the whole thing "mind-blowing" and was glad he could help bring some peace to the Highland Park community.

Seven people were killed and 31 more were injured in the shooting.

Copyright © 2024 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.