A neighbour of the Highland Park mass shooting suspect has admitted that she feels guilty for once turning him down when he asked her on a date.
The 21-year-old, known only as Amy, also revealed that she still has a crush on Robert “Bobby” Crimo III, despite him having been charged with seven counts of first-degree murder for the Fourth of July parade shooting in Illinois.
The 22-year-old allegedly opened fire from the roof of a nearby former outdoor outfitters, killing 7 and wounding over 30 people.
Amy, who lives near the home of Crimo’s father Bob, said that the both of them were fast-food colleagues at their local branch of Panera Bread bakery in March 2020.
She and Crimo became friends when they worked together at the eatery for about a month, prior to it closing due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I’m just thinking about him,” said Amy. “I didn’t go to sleep last night and I haven’t eaten for two days.” She said she and the suspected killer soon developed feelings for one another but never dated because of her “strict” parents’ outlook on her having relationships.
“I felt like we’re the same person,” she said. “We liked anime (and) similar music.” She added that she’d no idea the aspiring rapper was obsessed with guns or had previously tried to kill himself, a matter that was handled by mental health professionals at the time.
“Looking back I think he wanted to keep it from me,” said Amy, adding that Crimo admitted to postponing his dream of opening a nearby deli with his father in order to be closer to her.
“I didn’t want to be in his way though,” she said. “So I thought maybe if I stopped talking to him, he would do it (open the deli).”
Instead, it appeared to have the opposite effect.
“Every day I would see him go by and he wouldn’t say ‘hi’ or ‘bye’ anymore,” Amy said.
“I feel like I hurt him. So I feel guilty that this happened.”
“He was kind of like the last person I would suspect,” she said. “I feel like obviously something pushed him to this.”