Chicago 4 July shooting: Spotify artist Awake The Rapper arrested as six killed at Independence Day parade

Chicago 4 July shooting: Spotify artist Awake The Rapper arrested as six killed at Independence Day parade

Man arrested after shooting at Chicago 4 July parade kills at least six

A man who was arrested following a mass shooting at a 4 July parade in Chicago has been identified as verified Spotify artist Awake The Rapper.

Robert E Crimo III has several albums and EPs uploaded to the streaming service, the latest of which was released earlier this year.

Police publicly identified Crimo after he was arrested on Monday evening following a brief pursuit in suburban Chicago.

At least six people were killed during the incident in the Highland Park area of Chicago and dozens more were injured during the annual parade shortly after it began at 10am.

Crimo’s Facebook and Instagram pages had been removed by the time police released his name, with his YouTube channel also later removed.

Mayor Nancy Rotering said on Monday: “This morning at 10.14am our community was terrorised by an act of violence that has shaken us to our core.

“Our hearts go out to the families of the victims at this devastating time.

“On a day that we came together to celebrate community and freedom, we are instead mourning the tragic loss of life and struggling with the terror that was brought upon us.”

The shooting comes following debates around gun ownership in the US, after 19 children and two adults were shot dead in a school attack in Uvalde, Texas in May.

What happened in Highland Park?

Police have confirmed that the shoort began firing just after the parade began at 10am.

The busy event, which was taking place ot mark Independence Day in the US, was halted ten minutes after beginning. Spectators fled the scene with some covered in blood.

Police quickly arrived and urged those in the area to disperse.

One terrified mum, who was attending the event with her five-year-old son and his daycare class, told The Associated Press that the scene was “chaos” with families attempting to flee as quickly as possible.

Gina Trioani said: “We just start running in the opposite direction.

“It was just sort of chaos. There were people that got separated from their families, looking for them. Others just dropped their wagons, grabbed their kids and started running.”

How many people have been injured?

A total of 19 people are confirmed to have been taken to hospital following the attack.

Five people were confirmed to have died in the direct aftermath of the shooting, but this number has since risen to six.

Police have not confirmed any identities of the victims or those wounded as of yet.