Springfield, IL — A legal dispute arising from a tragic Fourth of July parade shooting in Highland Park, Illinois, last year has put the state’s firearm licensing practices under scrutiny. Survivors and relatives of victims have filed a lawsuit against the Illinois State Police, alleging negligence allowed the accused shooter, Robert Crimo III, to acquire a gun despite clear warning signs.
The lawsuit, submitted to the Illinois Court of Claims on June 27, contends that the state police failed to adhere to its protocols when processing Crimo’s firearm owner’s identification (FOID) card application, an oversight the plaintiffs argue contributed to the deadly outcome of the parade. Each plaintiff is demanding nearly $2.5 million in damages.
The complaint details various systemic failures, highlighting an incident in September 2019 when Crimo reportedly threatened violence against his family, which resulted in local police assessing him as a “clear and present danger” — a designation that should have precluded him from receiving a FOID card. However, despite this evaluation, Crimo successfully obtained the card in January 2020, by allegedly providing false information about his drug use history and the prior danger assessment.
According to the plaintiffs’ attorney, Matthew Sims, the risks associated with granting Crimo a FOID card were both “predictable and preventable.” Sims criticizes the Illinois State Police for not preserving the critical “clear and present danger” information in their database long enough, which he argues could have preempted the approval of Crimo’s FOID application only a few months later.
In addition to this particular lawsuit, Crimo, his father, and various gun manufacturers and retailers are facing multiple civil lawsuits related to the incident. Robert Crimo Jr., who sponsored his son’s FOID application, was also legally implicated, having pled guilty to multiple counts of reckless conduct in late 2023 and serving 60 days in detention.
At the heart of this complex legal battle are the heartbreaking stories of individuals such as Eduardo Uvaldo, who was one of the seven people killed in the shooting. His family, represented by the same attorneys handling the claim against the Illinois State Police, is also pursuing action against the maker of the assault rifle used in the attack.
State authorities, however, have previously defended their actions, asserting that there were no records at the time of application that would have disqualified Crimo from receiving a FOID card. The Illinois State Police declined to comment on the ongoing lawsuit when approached.
This case underscores the continuing debate over firearm regulations and the effectiveness of background check systems in the U.S., particularly concerning the handling of “red flags” involving potential gun owners.
The legal proceedings are set to evolve over the coming months as the case will be assigned to a Court of Claims commissioner. However, as of the latest updates, no hearing has been scheduled. Meanwhile, Crimo III is expected to stand trial in February 2025, having turned down a plea deal that would have resulted in a life sentence, leaving the community and the nation to grapple with the broader implications of this tragic event.