Suspected Highland Park Shooter Pleads Not Guilty After Allegedly Confessing To Crime

The suspect in the July 4 Highland Park, Illinois, mass shooting has chosen to plead not guilty, despite reportedly claiming responsibility weeks ago, according to Fox News.

Robert Crimo III, 22, pled not guilty Wednesday for 21 first-degree murder counts and 48 counts each of attempted murder and aggravated battery with a firearm in county court, the outlet reported. The shooting at a July 4 parade left seven people dead among 47 named victims, Fox News said.

County prosecutor Ben Dillon claimed the 22-year-old confessed to the attack following his arrest during Crimo’s initial July 6 court hearing, which the suspect attended remotely, according to Reuters. Crimo allegedly tried to flee the shooting while wearing women’s clothing to avoid being discovered, ABC News reported.

Police arrested Crimo without incident the same evening after identifying him as a person of interest and briefly pursuing his car, according to the Illinois-based ABC 7 News.

The shooting’s victims were between the ages of eight and 80, the outlet reported. Crimo was reportedly present in the room for his Aug. 3 arraignment hearing.

Lake County State Attorney Eric Rinehart said following the hearing he faces life in prison without parole possibility if found guilty of murdering any two people, ABC News said.

Illinois abolished capital punishment in 2011, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.