An Illinois father hid with his two-year-old son and their dog inside a dumpster as a 22-year-old man instigated the Highland Park parade shooting. Seven people were killed following the incident, and 30 people have been treated for their injuries.
Alexander Sandoval, a construction contractor, relayed to the New York Times that he immediately grabbed his son and tried to get to safety when he heard the gunshots. He couldn't get inside the buildings, so he went to a corner, found a dumpster, and placed his son and dog inside.
The dad was in tears as he recounted what he witnessed to the press. He also saw other adults carrying children to safety with pure terror on their faces.
One of them was mom, Erin Vine, who was watching the parade with her 6-year-old daughter, Nina. They also hid in one of the bins as Vine tried to keep her daughter calm. Vine sent her husband a text message to tell him they had hidden to safety. The mother heard screams and could see many police officers on the scene who were attempting to stop the shooter.
Blood-Soaked toddler loses both parents
Lauren Silva was at a breakfast spot near the route of the Highland Park parade when the shooting started. The mom of two said she and her boyfriend rushed to help the people on the ground when she was handed a blood-smeared toddler. All she could remember was that the boy's father was hit in the leg, and other people were helping control the bleeding.
Silva brought the toddler to a house garage, where the Ring family was already hiding from the shooter. Mom, Dana Ring, was shaking in fear, but she helped out Silva in cleaning the toddler who kept asking for his parents.
Dana and her husband, Greg Ring, told Silva they could take the toddler if she needed to leave. The child stayed with them and their in-laws until the police came to reunite him with his grandparents.
Unfortunately, Silva later found out that the toddler's parents, Kevin McCarthy, 37, and Irina McCarthy, 35, died on the scene. Family and friends have set up a GoFundMe for Aiden, now an orphan, who his grandmother and grandfather will raise. The fundraiser has already raised over a million and is still ongoing.
Uncle of Highland Park Parade shooter heartbroken
Around 6:30 p.m., the Highland Park police arrested Robert E. Crimo III, 22, in relation to the Highland Park parade shooting. The suspect's uncle, Paul Crimo, told the press that his nephew had no indications he was a violent or troubled person. Paul also had no idea what triggered his nephew to open fire on innocent people.
He said the incident shattered his heart. He expressed his apologies to the families of the dead and the injured.
Per the Chicago SunTimes, Robert or Bobby was described as a quiet person who attended church services regularly. Neighbors said they rarely see Bobby as he keeps to himself and prefers to listen to blaring music. He also didn't seem to have a lot of friends his age.
Charlotte Banks, his friend from church, said she was supposed to go by his house that Monday, and he canceled. She noted that Bobby never talked about politics or guns.
The police, however, have uncovered troubling messages about violence and mass shootings posted by Bobby on social media. His uncle said that he was unaware of these.
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