At least six people were killed and 24 were injured in a shooting at a parade on July 4 in Highland Park, a suburb of Chicago. Police officers are searching the rooftop for suspects who may have fired at the festival. , The police said on Monday.
On-site incident commander Chris O'Neil, commander of the Highland Park Police, urged people to evacuate while authorities were searching for the suspect.
Lake County spokesman for the Major Crime Task Force, Christopher Koveli, said at a news conference that he seemed to use a rifle recovered from the scene to fire at parade participants from the rooftop. .. He didn't know which building it was.
Covelli warned that police believed that there was only one shooter and that he was still armed and should be considered dangerous.
Police have not released details about the victims or injured.
The parade started around 10 am, but stopped suddenly about 10 minutes after firing. Hundreds of parade participants (some visibly bloody) escaped from the parade route, leaving behind chairs, strollers, stuffed animals, bicycles and blankets.
Police told people, "Please disperse everyone. It's not safe to be here."
Highland Park police said in a statement early Monday afternoon that five people had died and 19 were taken to hospital. Those numbers were revised shortly after the press conference.
After the shootout,Chicago Sun-TimesA video shot by a journalist shows that the float band continues to play as people scream and pass by. I am.
Gina Troiani and her son line up in a day care class ready to walk on the parade route until they hear people yelling about the shooter when they hear a loud noise that they believe is fireworks. I was there.
"We just start running in the opposite direction," she told The Associated Press.
Her five-year-old son was riding a bicycle decorated with curled red and blue ribbons. He and the other children in the group had a small American flag. The city said on its website that the festival would include a parade of children's bicycles and pets.
Troiani said he pushed his son's bike and ran through the neighborhood and back into the car.
In a video taken by Troiani on her phone, when a siren screams nearby, some of the children are surprised by the loud noise and scramble to the side of the road.
It was a kind of confusion, "she said. "There were people looking for them and away from their families. Others dropped the wagons, grabbed the children and started running."
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker tweeted "We are closely monitoring the situation at Highland Park," he said, with the support of the Illinois State Police.
Highland Park resident Debbie Glickman is riding a parade float with his colleagues and sees people running from the area and the group enters the main route. He said he was preparing.
"People began to say," There is a shooter. There is a shooter. There is a shooter, "Grickman told AP. I just ran. It's like a mess.
She didn't hear the noise or see anyone who appeared to be injured.
"I'm very surprised," she said. so sad.
