WAUKEGAN, IL — A Lake County judge on Monday denied a motion to dismiss reckless conduct charges against the father of the man accused of opening fire at the 4th of July parade in Highland Park last year.
Bob Crimo, whose son has been indicted on 117 felony counts stemming from the shooting, faces seven counts of felony reckless conduct, one for each of the seven slain paradegoers.
His attorney, George Gomez, had sought to dismiss the indictment, unsuccessfully arguing that prosecutors waited too long to file the charges and that the law is unconstitutionally vague. In a filing, Gomez contended that the state is attempting to “criminalize [Crimo’s] lawful act of signing a truthful affidavit.”
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Crimo local deli owner and candidate for mayor, signed off on an affidavit granting permission for his son, then 19 years old, to apply for a firearm owners identification, or FOID, card in December 2019. Such affidavits are required in Illinois for FOID card applicants aged 18 to 20.
Parents or guardians must certify that they are eligible to own a gun themselves and attest that, “I hereby give my consent for this minor applicant to possess and acquire firearms and firearm ammunition and understand I shall be liable for any damages resulting from the minor applicant’s use of firearms or firearm ammunition.”
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State law says the crime of reckless conduct is committed whenever someone “by any means lawful or unlawful, recklessly performs an act or acts that … cause great bodily harm or permanent disability or disfigurement to another person.” A conviction can be punished by up to three years in prison.
According to prosecutors, Crimo was criminally reckless at the time because a reasonable parent would have known his son was not competent to be a responsible firearm owner.
“When Mr. Crimo signed the form that enabled his son to get an assault weapon, he also had intimate knowledge about his son’s specific circumstances, a dangerous mix that would have stopped any responsible parent from proceeding,” Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said after the hearing.
The Illinois State Police Firearm Services Bureau approved Crimo’s son’s application for a FOID card — despite a “clear and present danger” report completed by Highland Park police following a September 2019 incident in which officers were dispatched to his home to investigate a possible threat.
Local police ended up briefly seizing 16 knives, a dagger and a samurai sword from the home before Crimo got them back. And earlier that year, Crimo’s son had attempted to take his own life, according to police reports.
Lake County Associate Judge George Strickland denied defense motions that the statute of limitations had expired, finding that that prosecutors had three years from the shooting to bring the case, rather than three years from the date of the affidavit.
The suspected parade gunman could be called as a witness in his father’s trial, according to Gomez, the father’s defense attorney.
“There could be many scenarios where Crimo, the son, could possibly be a witness in this case,” Gomez told reporters after the hearing. “Obviously he’s part of the end result of this case.”
Strickland also agreed to allow a single television camera inside the courtroom to cover the trial.
Last month, Crimo waived his right to a jury trial, opting for a bench trial with Strickland as the finder of fact. He is currently out on bail, having posted the $5,000 cash portion of his bond after his December 2022 arrest.
Rinehart said Crimo’s decision to sign off on the FOID application led to seven deaths and harmed many others.
“In addition to the direct consequences of Mr. Crimo’s reckless conduct, my office also charged Mr. Crimo because of our moral and law-enforcement obligation to prevent future tragedy in Lake County,” he said. “If a parent helps their child obtain a firearm, and they are aware of a risky situation, they should know that, as long as I am the Lake County State’s Attorney, they will be prosecuted.”
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Patch asked a spokesperson for Rinehart’s office for any previous case in which he has charged a parent who has helped a child obtain a firearm. No examples were provided. But if they are, they will be added here.
Earlier: Bob Crimo, Dad Of Accused Parade Shooter, Wants Judge To Toss Charges
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