July 4, 2022 11:58am EDT
Illinois 4th of July parade erupts into chaos after multiple shot: Report
Police are reportedly patrolling the parade area with rifles
By Anders Hagstrom , Tyler O'Neil | Fox News
Multiple people are feared dead after a reported shooting at a 4th of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois, on Monday.
Witnesses say crowds fled the sound of gunfire, and others saw at least five bloodied people lying on the ground and another under a blanket, according to the Chicago Sun Times.
The number of victims remains unclear. Police have reportedly requested a canine unit to assist in finding the suspect. The suspect remains at large.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker stated to WGN that he believes there are at least nine shooting victims. The outlet reported that at least two were killed.
The Lake County Sheriff's Office, where Highland Park is located, confirmed that a shooting had occurred and urged people to stay out of the area. The sheriff's office did not confirm the number of victims, however.
The Highland Park Police Department confirmed they are responding to an "active situation" and will soon release a statement to Fox News Digitial. The sheriff's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Fox.
Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering urged residents to avoid the downtown area as police respond to the incident.
"Highland Park Police are responding to an incident in downtown Highland Park," she announced on Twitter. "Fourth Fest has been canceled. Please avoid downtown Highland Park. More information will be shared as it becomes available."
Pritzker also confirmed that he and his staff are "closely monitoring" the situation.
https://twitter.com/GovPritzker/status/1543998448864825346more
https://www.foxnews.com/us/chaos-erupts-multiple-people-are-shot-4th-july-parade