The Jewish community in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park is in mourning after a lone gunman fired repeatedly at a Fourth of July parade.

Seven people were killed and dozens left wounded after the attack on Monday morning which began as a local klezmer band played.

Three of those killed are believed to be Jewish. They include Jacki Sundheim, a staff member of the North Shore Congregation Israel, Illinois. She had been a life-long member of the synagogue, where she had worked for decades as a pre-school teacher and later as an events and B’nei Mitzvah Coordinator.

Victim Jacki Sundheim

Victim: Jacki Sundheim

A two-year-old has also been left orphaned after both of his parents were killed in the attack. Kevin McCarthy, 37, and Russian Jew Irina McCarthy, 35 had brought their son, Aiden, to the parade but were shot by the gunman, leaving him alone and bloodied in the chaos. After the boy was taken to a police station he was eventually reunited with his grandfather, Michael Levberg.

A third Jewish victim, 88-year-old Stephen Strauss, was also murdered in the attack.
The suspect, 21-year-old Robert E Crimo III, is being held in custody. He is thought to have previously visited the Chabad Central Avenue Synagogue in Spring 2022. The synagogue is located on the same road as the parade where the atrocity took place.

Rabbi Yosef Schanowicz

Rabbi Yosef Schanowicz

Rabbi Yoseph Schanowitz issued a statement which confirmed: “An individual who matches the description of the shooter briefly visited the synagogue. He entered wearing a yarmulke, yet seemed out of place.

“Upon arriving, he was greeted by our security team, which includes off-duty police officers, and licensed and trained congregants, who observed him throughout. A short while later, he departed without incident. We are, of course, working with law enforcement to help advance their investigation.”

Rabbi Schanowitz told the JC that his synagogue has licensed concealed gun carriers at its regular Shabbat and Chag services, tasked with ejecting any threatening intruders. “If somebody suspicious is there, there are two people behind the guy, just in case” he said.

A spokesperson for the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force said they have no evidence that antisemitism played a part in the alleged attacker’s motive. The atrocity is not currently being treated as a hate crime.
The investigation continues.