This story has been updated with new developments. Police in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park say at least six people were killed and 24 injured in a mass shooting at a Fourth of July parade Monday morning. Witnesses said hundreds of people fled in panic when shooting erupted 10 minutes into the town's parade. The Chicago Sun-Times says one of its reporters "saw blankets covering three bloodied bodies and five other people wounded and bloodied near the parade’s reviewing stand." One witness said they heard 20 to 25 shots fired in rapid succession minutes after the parade kicked off at 10am.
Police say they are still searching for a suspect and people should avoid downtown Highland Park. Those who are already downtown should shelter in place, police say. Highland Park resident Miles Zaremski, 73, tells the New York Times that the "garden variety, suburban Fourth of July parade" turned into a horrific scene of terror and chaos. He says the shots sounded like they were fired from an automatic rifle. "I was in the service a long time ago, so I know what that sound produces" he says. Parades and other events in nearby communities have been canceled.
Gina Troiani tells the AP that she was about to join the parade with her 5-year-old son and his daycare group when she heard shots and people started yelling about a shooter. "It was just sort of chaos,” she says. “There were people that got separated from their families, looking for them. Others just dropped their wagons, grabbed their kids and started running." Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker says he is "closely monitoring the situation"and state police have been sent to the scene. (More Illinois stories.)
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