The mother of Cooper Roberts, who was paralyzed in the Highland Park parade shooting, reflected on the two-year anniversary by calling the incident a “horrifically evil event” that changed her family’s lives forever.
Keely Roberts, who is the mother to Luke and Cooper Roberts, said Wednesday that her family’s lives were shattered forever on July 4, 2022.
Keely, Luke and Cooper were all wounded in the shooting. Cooper, who was 8 at the time, suffered the most serious injuries and was paralyzed.
Roberts said the two-year anniversary of the incident, which left seven dead and 48 others injured, is actually the 73oth anniversary of the “total annihilation of our lives.”
“It has been 730 days since Cooper was able to walk. Seven hundred and thirty days since he was able to run and chase his brother in the backyard, climb the playground equipment at the park or school, play on his soccer team, run the bases at the ballpark or jump on his bed, the living room couches or play at a trampoline park,” Roberts said.
Roberts said she, along with dozens of other victims of the shooting, attended the court hearing last week for the accused shooter.
Robert E. Crimo III was expected to plead guilty to his charges but unexpectedly backed out of the plea deal at the last minute in court.
“Rather, what played out was yet another example of the re-victimization of victims; the continued infliction of suffering on innocent people who continue to suffer in unthinkable ways,” Roberts said of the hearing.
“I almost didn’t go because it is literally impossible to describe what it is like to have a total stranger try to kill you and your family. Our sweet little twin boys had their lives destroyed in a blink of an eye; one dying on a sidewalk while the other one, injured himself, was left bleeding and traumatized beyond description believing he just witnessed the murder of his twin brother and watching his mother bleed, all while gunshots and screams filled the air,” she said.
The mother described her son Cooper, who is now 10, as a happy, kind and athletic little boy who is now paralyzed and the rest of his life is “forever impacted by the horrific decisions the shooter, and all who directly or indirectly aided him in allowing this massacre to happen.”
“I knew that I would not be able to properly explain the guilt and anguish that you experience as a parent when you cannot protect your children from harm,” Roberts said.
Roberts said she and her family would not be attending the Highland Park parade this year. “Truthfully, I do not know if my family will ever be able to attend another parade again.”
Officials said they undertook a trauma-informed approach to planning Highland Park’s Independence Day events with guidance from the U.S. Department of Justice and community-based mental health clinicians who have been working in Highland Park.
A remembrance ceremony was held at Edgewood Middle School Thursday morning and included remarks from Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering and faith leaders.
An Independence Day parade later kicked off at 1 p.m. with a new route through downtown Highland Park. Last year, the city held a “community walk” instead of a parade.