Sleuths Say Highland Park Shooting Suspect's Face Tattoos May Have Predicted July 4 Parade Attack
The suspect has several noticeable tattoos.
Online sleuths have been scrambling to gather information on Robert “Bobby” E. Crimo III, the suspect in a 4th of July mass shooting in Highland Park, Illinois.
Crimo is accused of committing the horrific shooting at a local 4th of July parade that killed six people and injured at least 38 others.
The 22-year-old's social media accounts unearthed several hateful messages and other details that some are considering as evidence of his plans to commit the mass shooting.
Crimo was detained after the attack.
Many believe that one of Robert Crimo’s face tattoos predicted the mass shooting on July 4.
Crimo, who also goes by the stage name "Awake The Rapper" has a tattoo located next to his right eye with the number "47."
Internet users have suggested that the number “47” predicted the mass shooting.
The Fourth of July, in a month-and-day form, is 7/4. When that number is reversed, it reads “47,” the tattoo on Crimo’s temple.
Internet users have noted that other nations outside the US order their dates with days before months, meaning the holiday would be written 4/7.
Aside from the date of the holiday itself, many people believe that the number “47” is a reference to the video game, Hitman, where you play as a man dubbed “Agent 47” and go on various stealth missions to assassinate important people.
One of the photos of Crimo shows him dressed in similar attire to Agent 47 — a black suit and a red tie.
Others claimed that the “47” could also be tied into a reference to the AK-47 assault rifle.
It is not known what weapon was used in the attack. A police spokesperson described a gun found after the shooting as a "high-powered rifle." It was also revealed that Crimo legally obtained the firearm.
While Crimo has yet to be charged with the shooting, they do believe that he is the main suspect.
Law enforcement officials "processed a significant amount of digital evidence today which helped lead investigators in this direction," said Christopher Covelli, spokesperson for the Lake County Major Crime Task Force, via CNN.
They believe that he carried out the shooting by climbing a ladder onto the rooftop of a nearby business and opening fire just minutes after the parade started.
After leading police on a chase after a North Chicago officer attempted a traffic stop, he was finally arrested hours later in Lake Forest.
The Highland Park shooting is the 309th mass shooting that has plagued the United States in 2022, pushing the nation to an average of 11 mass shootings per week.
While many people are continuing to call for an increase in gun control, others remain steadfast in their defense of firearms and further the divide between the country.
Isaac Serna-Diez is an Assistant Editor who focuses on entertainment and news, social justice, and politics. Keep up with his rants about current events on his Twitter.