US July 4 parade shooter charged on over 100 counts: officials

Washington: An Illinois man accused of accused of carrying out a deadly mass shooting at a July 4 parade near Chicago was indicted by a grand jury on 117 counts, including 21 counts of first-degree murder, the state's attorney's office has said.

"I want to thank law enforcement and the prosecutors who presented evidence to the grand jury today," Lake County's State Attorney Eric Rinehart said in a statement. "Our investigation continues, and our victim specialists are working around the clock to support all those affected by this crime that led to 117 felony counts being filed today."

Lawyers for Crimo have not yet formally responded to any of the charges he faces in the July 4 shooting in downtown Highland Park, Illinois.

Crimo was charged Wednesday with 21 counts of first-degree murder, as well as multiple counts of attempted murder and aggravated battery, according to a statement from prosecutors.

Crimo is set to appear in court next week for his arraignment and have the charges officially read to him.

Robert Crimo, a young man with a history of mental illness, opened fire on an Independence Day parade in an affluent Chicago suburb, killing seven people and injuring dozens more.

The attack was the latest in the wave of gun violence plaguing the United States.

Crimo, who was disguised in women's clothing during the shooting, was arrested several hours afterwards. He later confessed to the crime and said he was planning another attack.

The July 4 shooting was the latest large-scale gun massacre in the United States, where about 40,000 deaths a year are caused by firearms, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

The shooting further ignited a tense national debate on gun control and raised questions about how a person with a history of mental health problems and threatening behavior was allowed to legally purchase firearms.