Authorities reveal police were called to home of Highland Park shooting suspect numerous times in years prior

Police released new records on Friday that reveal authorities were called to the home of the Highland Park parade shooter’s home nine times between 2010 and 2014, largely responding to domestic disputes between his parents.

The nine visits are in addition to two calls police received related to the shooting suspect himself in 2019 when police visited his home to respond to reports that he may be a danger to himself or others.

In a 2010 statement during one of the police visits, the suspects mother, Denise Pesina, said “I am tired of being called names” by Robert Crimo Jr., the shooter’s father. “He threatens to call the police for any and every argument we get in. He says he wants the police to think I’m crazy.” In another police visit Crimo Jr. alleged Pesina had struck him in the head with a shoe while she was inebriated.

The suspect, Robert Crimo III, faces 7 counts of first degree murder so far, with authorities warning more charges will be forthcoming. The suspect’s father, according to police, signed a consent form for his son to apply to own a firearm.

However, Crimo Jr. has said publicly he is not culpable in the mass shooting that left 7 people dead and 46 injured on July 4. “They make me like I groomed him to do all this,” he said. “I’ve been here my whole life, and I’m gonna stay here, hold my head up high, because I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Both Crimo Jr. and Pesina have expressed shock at their son’s alleged mass shooting. Crimo Jr. told reporters he hopes his son is punished accordingly. “I want a long sentence,” Crimo said. “That’s life. You know you have consequences for actions. He made a choice. He didn’t have to do that. I think there’s mental illness there, obviously. … I didn’t see a lot of it.” 

According to the New York Post, Crimo Jr. had discussed mass shootings briefly with his son less than 24 hours before the parade shooting occurred. Crimo III had seen coverage of a mall shooting in Copenhagen and remarked to his father “Yeah, that guy is an idiot. People like that … [commit mass shootings] to amp up the people that want to ban all guns.”