The United States is still reeling from the tragic mass shooting that occurred in Highland Park, Illinois, as the town's Fourth of July festivities got underway.
Per CNN, police say a gunman opened fire shortly after 10:00AM in the suburban town, as members of the public gathered for the day's 4th of July festivities along Central Avenue.
Authorities believe the shots were fired from the rooftop of a nearby building, with officers later recovering a "high-powered rifle" from the scene, per police commander Chris O'Neill.
Christopher Covelli, a spokesperson for the Lake County Major Crime Task Force, says the attack was "intentional" with the gunman's victims being "random".
As of this writing, six people have died as a result of the attack, with dozens more suffering injuries.
Police are yet to officially name any of those killed in the shooting, but two victims have been identified by friends and loved ones.
As reported by ABC News, one of the people to have been killed in Monday's shooting has been named as Nicolas Toledo.
In a statement to ABC News, Toledo's grandson, David, said:
"My grandpa was a funny man. He'd always joke around and be playful with his grandkids. He arrived [at] the U.S. in the '80s and worked around the Highland Park area for many years. He spent his last days swimming and fishing and being among family."
Kimberly Rangel, Toledo's granddaughter, told CBS News that the family is "broken" right now and encouraged others to "hold your family tight while you can, while you still have them".
Toledo's other granddaughter, Xochil Toledo, told the New York Times that her grandfather didn't want to attend the Highland Park July 4th parade, but his disabilities meant that he had to be around somebody at all times.
He was shot while sitting in his wheelchair.
Xochil Toledo said that the family initially thought the gunfire was "part of the parade."
Then, she said, “We realized our grandfather was hit. We saw blood and everything splattered onto us.”
The family has set up a GoFundMe in order to raise enough money to transport their grandfather's body back to his native Mexico.
As reported by The New York Post, a second victim who lost their life on Monday has been named as Jacki Sundheim, who has been described as a devoted member of a local Jewish congregation.
Paying tribute to Sundheim, officials from the North Shore Congregation Israel (NSCI) said: "It is with immeasurable sadness that we let you know that our beloved Jacki Sundheim was one of the victims murdered today at the Highland Park Parade.
"Jacki was a lifelong congregant of NSCI and a cherished member of NSCI’s staff team for decades. Jacki’s work, kindness and warmth touched us all, from her early days teaching at the Gates of Learning Preschool to guiding innumerable among us through life’s moments of joy and sorrow as our Events and B'nei Mitzvah Coordinator -- all of this with tireless dedication."
The statement concluded: "There are no words sufficient to express the depth of our grief for Jacki’s death and sympathy for her family and loved ones.
"We know you join us in the deepest prayer that Jacki’s soul will be bound up in the shelter of God’s wings and her family will somehow find comfort and consolation amidst this boundless grief."
Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek has revealed that the six people who died in the masacre were all adults. Five of them died at the scene, with one later succumbing to their injuries at a hospital.
A further 23 other people were transported by the Highland Park Fire Department to nearby hospitals, with other victims being transported by police and members of the public.
Dr. Brigham Temple, the medical director of the NorthShore University Health System, says that a total of 26 patients were received at Highland Park Hospital - with a handful of them being children. They were aged between eight and 85 years old.
Per CNN, 19 of the 25 gunshot victims have been treated and discharged.
The FBI has also revealed that Robert E. Crimo III was taken into custody by police on Monday evening after being named as a "person of interest" connected with the shooting.
Our thoughts continue to go out to everybody affected by this tragedy.
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