In a shocking turn of events, Robert Crimo III, the suspect charged in the Highland Park parade shooting on July 4, 2022, surprised prosecutors on Wednesday by rejecting a negotiated plea deal. The shooting resulted in the death of seven people and left dozens injured.

Crimo III appeared in a crowded Lake County courtroom, seated in a wheelchair at his request due to nervousness. When asked by Judge Victoria Rossetti if he accepted the proposed plea deal to plead guilty and spend the rest of his life in prison, Crimo paused. He looked over his left shoulder at the gallery filled with those affected by the tragic shooting.

Though it remains unclear whom Crimo was looking at, attorney Antonio Romanucci, who represents several victims in a civil case related to the shooting, believes that Crimo was taunting the victims. Romanucci stated, "He was looking to see who was there to observe, so he knew that he had an audience."

After a brief recess, Judge Rossetti asked Crimo again if he wanted to proceed with the plea deal. To the disappointment of victims and their relatives, Crimo reversed his decision, continuing a pattern of false starts in his legal proceedings. Attorney Romanucci described the decision as "absolute, unadulterated evil" and a deliberate effort to prolong the suffering of the victims.

Interestingly, Crimo's mother, Pesina, deemed the hearing "a win" and proclaimed her son's innocence without providing further details or evidence. Activist Ashbey Beasley, who attended the Highland Park parade as well, expressed her heartbreak over the decision, remarking that it feels like a game and should never have occurred in the first place.

Prosecutors had reached an agreement with Crimo to plead guilty to seven counts of first-degree murder, among a total of 55 charges. The proposed sentence included natural life in prison without parole for the murder charges, followed by a 30-year sentence for aggravated battery charges.

Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart assured the victims and their families that they would continue to support them throughout the trial. Rinehart's office later sent an email to the affected individuals, explaining the failed plea deal in detail and clarifying that the deal would only be finalized after the defendant was questioned in open court.

According to prior statements from Rinehart's office, Crimo had allegedly planned the attack for weeks before firing more than 70 rounds from a rooftop, using an assault rifle disguised as he targeted the Highland Park Fourth of July Parade.

Crimo's assistant public defender, Gregory Ticsay, declined to comment on the sudden change in plea. Many of the victims and their families had attended the hearing seeking closure as they approached the two-year anniversary of the horrific incident. Leah Sundheim, who lost her mother Jacquelyn Sundheim in the shooting, expressed her disappointment, stating that instead of being able to grieve and find closure, they were once again confronted with Crimo's blatant disregard for human life.

Karina Mendez, the daughter of Eduardo Uvaldo, who was killed in the attack, emotionally shared her feelings before the hearing, acknowledging the possibility of Crimo's reversal and the difficulty it would bring.

As the case moves forward, the victims and their families continue to seek justice and closure for the tragedy that unfolded during the Highland Park parade two years ago.