Indiscriminate shooting near Chicago… 6 killed in ‘Independence Day march’

At least six people were killed and 20 others were injured in an indiscriminate shooting at citizens enjoying a festival commemorating Independence Day near Chicago, Illinois, USA on the 4th (local time).

The Associated Press and other American media reported indiscriminate shootings immediately after the street march to commemorate Independence Day began in the center of Highland Park near Chicago at 10 a.m. on the same day. Police and city officials said at a press conference that six people were killed and 24 others were injured in the shooting. The hospital said that 31 people were injured, including civilians injured while evacuating from the scene, in addition to those injured in the shooting.

Police recovered a rifle believed to have been used in the crime at the scene. Police said the suspect, believed to be a white male between the ages of 18 and 20, appeared to have opened fire on the roof of a nearby building and opened fire on protesters. Police said the suspect may still be armed and urged citizens to refrain from going out. Police have not yet released information on the identity of the victims, including the dead and injured.

It is said that the main theme of the Independence Day street parade held today in Highland Park was a community event with families, especially children riding bicycles. As a result, many parents took their young children in strollers or tricycles to attend the event as a family. According to a video filmed by a Chicago Sun Times reporter, hundreds of citizens attending the march began to run in the opposite direction of the march immediately after the shooting occurred. At the scene, dozens of strollers, children’s bicycles, American flags, bicycle helmets, blankets, outdoor chairs, water bottles, etc. were left cluttered, suggesting the dire situation at the time of the incident.

Miles Zaremsky, who was present at the time of the incident, told CNN that the shootings were divided into two parts and that about 20 to 30 shots were believed to have been fired. Amarani Garcia, who took part in the march with her young daughter, said on local TV that the first gunshot was heard and then heard again shortly after. “People screamed and ran,” Garcia said. “I ran into a very small shop with her daughter and fled, but I don’t know if it’s still safe.”

Highland Park, where the incident occurred, is a wealthy city with a population of 30,000, about 40 kilometers north of downtown Chicago, 90% of which are white. “At 10:14 this morning, our village is in terror with an act of violence that has shaken our core,” said Mayor Nancy Rotoring at a press conference. I mourn,” he said. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said in a statement that “there’s nothing to describe the sort of monster that stood still and shot at families and children celebrating anniversaries with their community.”

President Joe Biden also said in a statement that he would do everything the federal government can do to commemorate the victims and comfort their families, including arresting the shooting suspects. “There is still a lot of work to be done, and I will not give up fighting the spread of gun violence,” Biden said, referring to the fact that he signed a gun control law recently passed by Congress.

In the United States, frequent shootings continue, including the deaths of 10 children at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York on May 14, and the indiscriminate shooting of 19 children and two staff at Uvaldy Rob Elementary School in Texas on May 24. is becoming