Chicago shooting victims: Mexican grandfather, teacher among those killed

A teacher and a man in his 70s who had travelled from Mexico to visit his family were among the six people shot dead.

In Chicago’s wealthy Highland Park suburb late Monday night after yet another horrific mass shooting incident in the United States. The incident – at a Fourth of July parade – also left more than 36 people injured. A ‘person of interest’ – Robert E Crimo III – was taken into custody shortly after the shooting and a high-powered rifle was recovered.

Firing into a holiday crowd, the shooter caused chaos as panicked onlookers ran for their lives, leaving behind a parade route strewn with chairs, abandoned balloons and personal belongings. At least 24 people, including children, were injured – some critically so.

Who were the victims of the Highland Park shooting?

Nicolas Toledo

The first person identified was Nicolas Toledo, who had come from Mexico to be with his grandchildren to celebrate the Fourth of July. “My grandfather, Nicolas Toledo, father of eight and grandfather to many, left us this morning July 4th… what was supposed to be a fun family day turned into a horrific nightmare for us all,” Xochil Toledo, his granddaughter, said.

“Nicolas a loving man, creative, adventurous and funny. As a family we are broken…” Toledo’s family has set up a crowd-funding page to raise money to send his body back to Mexico; Reuters said that as of early Tuesday it had raised over $33,000.

Jacki Sundheim

Another person killed was Jacki Sundheim, a teacher at a synagogue in Highland Park. The North Shore Congregation Israel confirmed her death. “There are no words sufficient to express the depth of our grief for Jacki’s death and sympathy for her family and loved ones.”

The synagogue said she was survived by her husband and daughter. The four others who have died so far have yet to be identified. Chicago media reports do have a few other details.

According to ABC Eyewitness News, the victims range from eight to 85 years. Five of them died at the scene and the sixth in a hospital.

The Highland Park July 4 parade shooting comes just weeks after a heart-breaking tragedy in Uvalde in Texas, where 19 school children and two teachers were killed. In May 10 people died at a grocery store shooting in New York.

Responding to these and over 300 other shooting incidents in 2022 alone, president Joe Biden last month signed what was billed as the first significant federal bill on gun safety in decades.

As he did so, however, Biden said the law is short of that needed to save lives.

The law includes enhanced stricter checks for younger buyers and federal funding for states introducing ‘red flag’ laws that allow weapons to be removed (temporarily) from those considered a threat.

It does not include a ban on military style rifles and other high-powered guns – such as as that used by the Highland Park killer and other shooters.