South Cook News

Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau (R) is urging citizens to speak out about any alarming content they may see plastered across the Internet.

Pekau’s appeal comes in light of information that has surfaced about the suspected gunman in the July 4 shooting in Highland Park that left seven people dead and dozens more injured.

“If you see something, say something,” Pekau, now running for the 6th Congressional District seat, said in a video posted to Facebook. “Increased communication between mental health professionals, law enforcement, and community members will go a long way in reducing the likelihood of tragedies like this striking again.”

Police have since charged 22-year-old Robert “Bobby” Crimo with opening fire from a nearby rooftop on a crowd gathered for the holiday parade. ABC7 news reports he later evaded capture for hours before being taken into custody by law enforcement in nearby Lake Forest.  

Prior to staging the attack, Fox News reported Crimo posted "disturbing" videos on his YouTube channel, including describing and depicting mass shootings.

Lake County Major Crime Task Force member Chris Covelli later told Fox Crimo had been planning the Highland Park shooting for weeks. Covelli also implored the public to immediately notify law enforcement whenever they see social media posts of a similar nature.

NBC News reports Crimo now faces seven counts of first degree murder, with more charges likely to come.

According to ABC7, back in 2019, Crimo attempted suicide just months before he threatened to kill members of his own family.

"The firearms restraining order is useful in all these situations,” Rep. Denyse Wang Stoneback (D-Skokie) added.  Someone making threats, experiencing trauma should not possess firearms."