The Fourth of July celebration in Highland Park, Illinois was shattered by the actions of another crazed gunman looking for … we don't know what.

            The person arrested is sitting in a Lake County, Illinois jail.  He is 22-year-old Robert Crimo, III, aka "Awake the Rapper", a local amateur rapper with a history of disturbing social media posts.

            His alleged actions left seven dead and dozens injured.  Police and other officials are searching for a motive for his random shooting at a downtown parade.

            What prompted this angry, young man to commit this act, and how many others are wandering around; planning and posting hints of their upcoming heinous acts on social media?  And, why aren't they being flagged and reported?

            NBC News asked the question, "How many posts along those lines does a person have to publish before the company that operates the social-media platform contacts law enforcement?" 

            It's 2022.  If social media technical wizards can create algorithms to flag political parody posts, why aren't they putting their talents into posts that point towards death and destruction?

            Crimo allegedly fired more than 70 rounds randomly into participants and viewers of a Fourth of July parade.  No one was safe – everyone was targeted.  Dressed in women's clothing, he left his weapon on the roof of the store where he fired from and fled.  Wasn't he aware that the identification on the weapon would lead to him, or did he want to be caught?

            According to published reports, he released a music video titled "Are You Awake" last year that that included drawings of a man aiming a rifle at a person.  It also showed an image of a newspaper clipping about Lee Harvey Oswald, who shot and killed President John F. Kennedy.  Another image shows a drawing with blood spurting from a person's body and also shows police cars arriving as the shooter holds his hands up.

            In 2019 police were called to Crimo's home following reports he threatened to "kill everyone there."  And, earlier that year, officials visited his home after receiving a report that he attempted suicide.  Apparently, neither incident triggered Illinois' Red Flag Law that would have kept him from purchasing or possessing any guns.

            Another of his videos shows him appearing in a classroom wearing a black bicycle helmet as he says he is "like a sleepwalker … I know what I have to do. … Everything has led up to this. Nothing can stop me, even myself."

            He also posted a video that included a drawing of someone who appeared to have been shot dead by police.

            Critics ask, how do we know if he's serious – he didn't break any laws with those posts?  Any action would be an infringement on his "social media free speech."

            We need to stop being soft on threats and crime.  How do we know that he's not serious about his veiled threats?

            Now, during a press conference after his arraignment, Lake Count Major Task Force spokesman Christopher Covelli revealed that Crimo had contemplated another attack with a firearm and 50-rounds of ammunition he had in his car when he was captured.  His target was another celebration in Madison, Wisconsin.   

            I think the people of Highland Park would have preferred that his actions were flagged, reported, and proper action taken before the Fourth of July.