0:00 Oh, hey. I didn't see you there. We begin with the mass shooting at a July 4th parade in a Chicago suburb. 0:06 I am breaking through no matter what. A person of interest is in custody after an hoursl long manhunt. 0:13 You're always on my mind. He lived here with his mother up until the shooting when it was abruptly 0:19 abandoned. This is Robert Krimmo, also known as Awake the Rapper. On the surface, he was 0:26 a small-time artist from Illinois. He held a quiet presence in person and had a small following online. But between 0:33 the years of 2019 and 2022 behind the screen, something within him was slowly 0:39 starting to unravel. Now, if you look close enough, his videos were already unsettling, and his lyrics, well, they 0:47 were laced with subtle cues of violence. So, in theory, the red flags and warning 0:53 signs were already kind of there. But over time, his online world would grow darker, more chaotic, and even more 1:00 disturbing. And on July the 4th of 2022, that being Independence Day, he 1:06 unfortunately finally acted. In a matter of seconds, Robert Kremo shattered 1:12 multiple families, ended several lives, and scarred a community forever. And as 1:17 the nation began to ask the grand question, why? All of those who formerly knew him were now wondering how nobody 1:24 saw it coming. Today we are going to dive into the dark world of Robert Krimmo, review the videos that he left 1:31 behind, and finally take a look at the strange artifacts and notes and even 1:36 search for a motive. Welcome, or welcome back to Coffee House 1:42 Crime, folks. Welcome to the first video in our new studio, and welcome to 2026. 1:48 My name is Adrian and today we're looking at the case of Robert Kremo. Now, I have to be real with you here. It 1:53 is actually quite rare for a case to get under my skin like this one. We've got red flags, unsettling behavior, and a 2:00 bizarre trail of internet breadcrumbs that feels more like a twisted puzzle than a story. So, one of the most 2:06 interesting aspects about this killer is that there seems to be many masks behind his personality. For example, you've got 2:12 the quiet boy, the troubled teen, the edgy rapper, and the online troll. But 2:17 behind each of these faces lies an even darker undercurrent. With that said, 2:22 folks, I think you're going to need a strong coffee for this story. And so, with that said, please grab yourself a 2:28 brew, get comfortable, and let's caffeinate while they investigate. This is the case of Robert Kremo. 2:44 Welcome to Highland Park, folks. Just a short ride north of Chicago and found right beside the waters of Lake 2:50 Michigan. It's a charming town that is found in a beautiful part of America, quiet, leafy streets meander between 2:57 rows of heritage brick homes. And here, coffee shops do seem to be a dime a dozen, perfect for all those cold 3:04 mornings over winter. And when summertime hits, well, you're met with beautiful scenery. And I truly mean that 3:11 because when the sun is out, Illinois is absolutely breathtaking. As for Highland 3:16 Park itself, it isn't merely just an important part of Chicago's Northshore, but is a place where the 4th of July is 3:23 a special tradition that is stitched into the town's identity. Independence Day is a huge thing here, and you will 3:30 see that every year. Its central avenue will burst into life with red, white, and blue. You get to experience the full 3:37 shebang here with marching bands, cotton candy, and neighbors sharing good food across the street. It's the kind of 3:44 morning that feels comfortable, familiar, and safe. Now, unfortunately, with CO happening over 2020 and then 3:51 2021, the grand event was sadly cancelled. But by the time that 2022 3:57 came around, everybody was ready to restart this great tradition with a boom. And the weather seemed to agree 4:03 here, too, because at one point, the sky was clear without a single cloud in 4:08 sight. But here's the thing. Then this happened. Terror on the streets of Chicago as a gunman opens fire during a 4:15 parade. And we begin with the mass shooting at a July 4th parade in a Chicago suburb. Tragically, all of this happened while 4:22 Highland Park's parade was in full swing. Not only was a band from the local synagogue playing across the road, 4:29 but kids were chasing after candy and parents were in the middle of dinner on lawn chairs. And that is when the sound 4:36 of several distinct gunshots rang out. In fact, you can even see in some recordings that while some people did 4:43 realize that something was happening and were now running away, there were other people who were still blissfully 4:49 ignorant of the danger behind them. But as the gunshots continued and then people started to fall to the ground. 4:56 That is when the music fully stopped and screams started to erupt. In a mere matter of moments, panic unfolded across 5:03 Central Avenue. Families scattered, parents shielded their children, and furniture was overturned, while the 5:10 sound of bullets echoed throughout the streets. And what initially began as a day of happiness and celebration soon 5:17 turned into one of absolute terror. Yet somehow, just as soon as all of this 5:22 panic had erupted, it suddenly disappeared. And as for the killer, well, they had vanished, too. People 5:28 soon realized that all of the danger was actually coming from above because the shooter, well, they'd positioned 5:34 themselves on the rooftop of one of the local shops before then silently fleeing away on foot. Witnesses caught only 5:41 glimpses of the shooter, but what they saw was a frail woman with long dark hair and a very slender frame, which, as 5:48 you'll soon realize, ouch, that will have definitely hurt the shooter's ego. And as for the gun, which by the way was 5:54 an AR-15 style rifle, that would soon be found abandoned nearby. The confusion 5:59 about who the gun belonged to would not last very long either, because after tracing it back to its owner via its 6:05 serial number, they realized that it belongs to a man named Robert Eugene Kremo III, a 21-year-old man who 6:12 actually lived nearby in Highland Park. And so alongside this surveillance image, they would then release both his 6:18 name and description to the public, including a description of his car, which was a 2010 Honda Fit. And so 6:24 within minutes, Robert's face was plastered all over America, and people far and wide knew his name and his 6:31 description. Basically, the authorities described him as slender, had long, dark mattered hair, and had tattoos all over 6:37 his neck and face. Now, if you imagine Shaggy if he lost Scooby-Doo, fell into a tattoo studio, and then committed to 6:44 several years of hard drugs, he would probably look like this. Now, at this stage in the investigation, they 6:50 actually described Robert as quote, "A person of interest." But to be honest with you, I think the moment they saw 6:56 this surveillance image, they knew that he was probably the shooter. And so, with that said, the manhunt was 7:02 officially on. As the hours ticked by, there was still no sign of Robert, and 7:08 people began to wonder if maybe he had already fled the state. And unfortunately, there were even more 7:14 disturbing questions like, was he maybe planning to strike again? Now, what the public did not actually know yet was 7:21 that Robert had in fact actually left Illinois. Not only that, but he was now 7:26 heading north towards Wisconsin with a second rifle and over 60 rounds of 7:31 ammunition. We don't actually know why, but thankfully he would actually cancel 7:37 these plans along the way. Not only that, but he would also make the most stupid decision available and then 7:43 headed back towards Illinois. In fact, it was around 6:30 p.m. that afternoon 7:48 that the authorities clocked his car only 5 miles away from the original crime scene. And so, no surprise, he was 7:55 arrested right there on the spot. It did seem that for a brief moment, Robert 8:01 even tried to flee from the officers, but without anywhere to go, and realizing that he had absolutely no way 8:07 of escaping them, he surrendered without a fight only a few seconds later. Both dash cam and phone footage later showed 8:14 him stepping out of his car slowly, dressed all in black. He then lay flat on the pavement with his arms 8:21 outstretched before then being arrested. And just like that, the manhunt was 8:26 thankfully over. But of course, in many ways, this was only just the beginning. 8:32 Because as the name Robert Cremo spread, people slowly began to find out who he 8:37 was online. And the more that they uncovered, the clearer it became that this was not just some quiet loner, but 8:44 a man who already had quite a large presence online. And so, on that note, 8:49 who precisely was Robert Krimmo? and what could have possibly driven him to do something so horribly inhumane. 9:00 The thing is, when he was questioned by detectives, Robert confessed almost immediately. He didn't try to run from 9:07 who he was or what he had done and simply accepted it as if it was just another day in Highland Park. And when 9:14 they began to take a look online at who he was, what they uncovered was even more disturbing because they soon 9:20 realized that this was not just a case of someone snapping out of the blue, but something that was both far deeper and 9:27 far darker. The truth is that Robert had been displaying multiple red flags for several years by now. And the warning 9:34 signs, well, they were things that no one seemed to act on until unfortunately 9:39 it was far too late. But before we get into all of the hows and what's, let's first take a look at Robert's younger 9:46 years, because as you will soon realize, that leaves behind a clue or two. 9:54 So, starting from the very beginning, the name was Robert Bobby Eremo III. 9:59 What a bloody mouthful, let me tell you that. It turns out that he grew up only a few minutes away from the streets that 10:05 he would later terrorize. Born in the year 2000, he was the middle child in a 10:11 fractured household and one that unfortunately was filled with many problems. Now on paper, the crimos 10:18 looked like any other ordinary family. His father was the proud owner of a deli 10:23 and he would even once run for mayor. On the side, his mother would also dabble in alternative healing and in therapy. 10:30 However, behind closed doors, things were very far from normal. When Bobby 10:35 was only 2 years old, the police responded to a disturbing phone call that was made from a concerned stranger. 10:42 A random passer by had noticed that Bobby was left inside a hot car for nearly half an hour, all while his own 10:49 mother went swaning off to go shopping. As a result, she was arrested for child endangerment and would even plead guilty 10:56 to her own foolish decisions. Not that this changed anything, though, because the family home would remain turbulent. 11:03 Over the next several years, the police were called to the property more than 10 times with neighbors recalling explosive 11:10 arguments and shouting between Robert's parents. Many people would also report that there were many arguments that 11:16 happened between them publicly in the familyrun Delhi. So stepping back for a 11:22 moment here, it is quite easy to see that Robert did not have a comfortable upbringing. And unfortunately, it gets 11:28 worse. From videos that he posted online, you can see that Bobby kept to himself while at school. He always 11:35 appeared to be quiet, withdrawn, and never seemed to smile in any of his photos. But what he did find comfort in 11:42 was skateboarding and video games. and you can see through many of the videos that he's posted that he would spend 11:47 many hours at the local skate park with his only real friend Anthony Leaport. He would also play a lot of Call of Duty 11:54 zombies, which was the main theme that often came up in many of his real life videos later on. As for the real world, 12:00 like I said, he would spend a lot of time with his friend Anthony at the skate park. The two called themselves 12:06 the Handsome Crew and would often film themselves around parks. It looks like Robert made many of these videos in 12:12 retrospect and used nostalgic music to remember the good times. And unfortunately, there is good reason for 12:20 this, too, because sadly in 2017, Anthony tragically died of an overdose. 12:26 It is obvious to see that the loss of his best friend ruined Robert. He stopped going out, stopped showing up to 12:33 his classes, and eventually would even drop out of school. And with his friend 12:38 now gone and his family broken, he spent all of his time in his room on the 12:43 internet. It is while here and alone that he began to build something different and eventually something 12:50 darker, a persona that he liked to call Awakened before then eventually rebranding to Awake the Rapper. Now, at 12:58 this point in his life, he had already uploaded many tracks online ever since the age of 11. However, it was around 13:04 2017 that things really did begin to take shape. By 18, he had now become 13:09 Awake the Rapper, an aspiring hip-hop artist with face tattoos, a nihilistic persona, and a growing obsession with 13:17 violence. Under the new name, Robert or Awake flooded the internet with songs, 13:22 videos, blog posts, his own website, and even merchandise. He scattered his new 13:27 content all across multiple platforms, most of which was filled with disturbing images of mass shootings, death, and 13:34 self-destruction. And over time, this rhetoric grew darker. In one video named 13:40 Toy Soldier, Bobby used stick figure animation to depict a man and a woman before then panning to a man dressed 13:46 like him as a shooter. He then opened fire on a crowd before then being shot and killed by cops. And another video, 13:53 which was titled, "Are you awake?" was even more disturbing to watch. In this video, he spoke in a rather robotic 14:01 voice, delivering what almost sounded like his final words. Rather than quote 14:06 him here, I'm just going to let you listen to him instead. Like a sleepwalker, 14:11 I am breaking through no matter what. Like a sleepwalker, 14:17 unable to stop and think. My actions will be valiant. And my thought is 14:24 unnecessary. I know what I have to do. I know what's in it. Not only for me, but for everyone 14:31 else. Where am I going? I don't know. I don't care. There is no past or future. 14:39 Just the now. It is more abstract than I could ever imagine. I can feel the 14:46 atmosphere pushing me in. It's unstoppable. Like a wave pulling me under. I can't 14:54 breathe without it. I can't see or hear what I don't want. I need to leave now. 15:00 After watching most of his videos, it is quite clear to see that Robert had some sort of fixation with July the 4th. 15:07 Throughout many of his drawings, he would repeatedly post the number 47, an inversion of 74. Of course, that being 15:14 Independence Day. I mean, in hindsight, when you look at it that way, it kind of looks like a countdown. His social media 15:22 was just as disturbing, too. He designed his own personal logo, which of course 15:27 looks eerily similar to another well-known hate symbol. And not only would he share violent memes online, but 15:33 he would also name his Discord server SS, that being a direct nod to Hitler's 15:38 paramilitary unit. However, politically speaking, Robert was actually quite contradictory in his methodology. And 15:46 although he attended at least two proTrump rallies in 2020 and even dressed as where's Waldo at one, he 15:52 would also post about multiple government conspiracies online and was quite nihilistic about everything. So, 15:59 he didn't really seem to follow any clear ideology, but did seem to chase clout and notoriety. Basically, Robert 16:06 was cooked on the inside with dark and edgy internet subculture. And from the year 2019 onward, the warning signs 16:13 would only grow louder. Somehow, no one thought to stop him. And I'm quite surprised by that because in hindsight, 16:21 some of his videos were extremely worrying, like this one, for example. 16:26 Have you been held a prisoner of your own device? Freedom. Freedom. Freedom. Freedom. Freedom. 16:36 Free down. Freedom. Buy it now. 16:42 Freedom. Are you in need of freedom? Are you in need of freedom? Are you in need of 16:48 freedom? Or buy it today? Have you been held a prisoner of your own device? 16:54 Now, in fairness, I don't think that you'd immediately feel killer vibes after watching that. But at the very 17:00 least, you'd probably think that he was some cringe-worthy creep. But unfortunately, it gets even worse. 17:10 It was in April of 2019 that Robert apparently tried to end his life with a machete. And although we don't know how 17:17 close he came, officers reportedly found him withdrawn yet cooperative. Which to me, if you read between the lines, 17:23 sounds like he hadn't actually hurt himself yet. He was merely just flaunting it. Now, apparently at the 17:29 time, Robert told officers that he was already receiving mental health treatment, and so no further action was 17:35 taken. However, what we now know in hindsight is that Robert was actually receiving no support whatsoever. This 17:41 was all just a lie. And then only 4 months later, police received yet another phone call from a very concerned 17:48 family member. And that's because apparently Robert was threatening to kill everybody in the household. And 17:53 when police searched his bedroom, they found 16 knives, a dagger, and a samurai sword. Now, Robert denied any wrongdoing 18:01 whatsoever, but just to be on the safe side, officers would cautiously file a report anyway, labeling him as a clear 18:07 threat to both himself and others. But the thing is, this still did nothing because when the police then reviewed 18:14 the file a few weeks later, they dismissed it anyway. And so only a couple days after that, all of the 18:19 charges were dropped and the weapons were returned to Robert's father. Only three months later and in January of 18:26 2020, Robert applied for a firearm owner's ID card. And although he was underage at the time and needed a 18:33 sponsor, and despite everything that had happened prior, his father foolishly decided to sign that form. He would 18:40 later claim that Robert's issues were merely just a teenage outburst and that since he had no criminal record at the 18:46 time, he shouldn't be determined as a bad person. To make things even worse, the state would even approve the 18:52 application without any further review needed. Meaning that it wasn't only his father that failed him, but the system, 18:59 too. Over the next two years between 2020 and 2022, Robert then legally 19:04 purchased five firearms, including pistols, a shotgun, and an M&P5 rifle. 19:11 As you can see, there were no consequences to his previous outbursts. Well, actually, there was one small 19:17 consequence. After being kicked out of his family home, he ended up living with his uncle Paul in a small apartment in 19:24 Highwood. However, in a way, that actually kind of made everything so much worse. And that's because Robert would 19:31 grow even more isolated. He kept to himself, was unemployed, spent most of 19:36 his time online, grieved the death of his best friend, and now had fully dropped out of college, and was no 19:43 longer seeing his family. And add five firearms to the mix. And well, it takes 19:48 no smart cookie to feel at least a little bit concerned here. Not only that, but in the background, the Crimo 19:54 family was falling apart, too. I mean, for one, the Delhi, which used to be a neighborhood anchor, had now shut its 20:01 stores due to spiraling debt. It turns out that his father owed more than 1.6 20:06 million in debt, and the family home was set to go up for sale after being mortgaged far beyond its value. The 20:13 business was now falling apart. And despite the distance between Robert and his family, he would have seen this all 20:19 happening behind closed doors. And with all that financial pressure, tension, and quiet collapse happening around him. 20:26 That chaos easily grew into resentment. Online, his fantasies were turning even 20:32 darker. And in one of his videos, he wrapped, "You're all sinners, you're all going to die." He would also film 20:38 himself driving past a local synagogue while muttering rather disturbing things. And in an act that shows that he 20:45 was planning this massacre, he would even record himself in Central nearly a year before his actions. By June of 20:51 2022, Robert had chosen his date of July the 4th. He began to scout rooftops, 20:57 select pathways, and even prepare a disguise. And then, as we know, this 21:04 happened. Gunman opens fire during a parade, killing at least six people. 21:12 The shooting was very rapid and all seemed to be a lot of it. It's just horrible to see all that terror. 21:18 In the early morning hours of July the 4th, Robert dressed in women's clothing, including a wig, makeup, and long 21:24 sleeves to hide his tattoos. He then walked towards downtown with his rifle wrapped inside a blanket. climbed a fire 21:32 escape, set himself up on the rooftop of an outdoor outfitter, and from there 21:37 established a clear line of sight over Central Avenue. At 10:14 a.m., and as 21:42 marching bands passed beneath him, Robert opened fire. We've already covered what happened next, but in the 21:48 space of mere minutes, over 70 rounds were fired. Each shot aimed into a crowd 21:53 with nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. In total, seven people were murdered that day. Kevin and Ireina McCarthy were 22:01 both shot while shielding their toddler son. Katherine Goldstein was murdered while standing next to her daughter. And 22:08 Steven Strauss, who was 88 years old, was there out of tradition. Meanwhile, Nicholas Toledo, who was 78 years old, 22:16 was hesitant to leave his home. But after being convinced by his family to go get some fresh air, he decided to go 22:23 to the parade. and Jackie Sunshim was a beloved local preschool teacher who was 22:28 merely out to support her community. When he began to hear sirens, Robert then dropped the rifle and descended the 22:34 ladder going back towards ground level. And while in disguise, he then slipped into the crowd and kept his head down. 22:41 To everyone around him, Robert looked like any other terrified citizen. He then walked to his mother's house, 22:47 grabbed the keys to her Honda Fit, and had even told her that there had been a shooting. She didn't really care though, 22:54 so she let him go. By the time investigators found the rifle and then traced it back to Robert, he was already 23:00 out of town. But of course, he was then found only a few hours later, merely minutes away from the crime scene. And 23:07 this was the moment that the world was, for a lack of a better word, awakened to find out who Robert Krimo really was. 23:15 All of the dots were suddenly connected all at once, and those online who noticed a strange and dark demeanor over 23:22 the years realized that this was in fact actually no facade. Meanwhile, all of 23:28 those in the real world suddenly realized that this horrific shooter had a lot of media online which actually 23:34 screamed red flags. It's kind of like both halves never really had the full picture. But now, well, it's kind of 23:41 sickening. Outside of his momentarily feeble attempt to run away, Robert didn't ever really resist when he was 23:48 arrested. He didn't cry or even try to talk his way out of it either. Instead, when finally in custody, he openly spoke 23:55 about the shooting and even told investigators that he had considered a second attack in Wisconsin later that 24:02 day. It was quite obvious that he felt no remorse either. And after looking at all of his social media, it's clear to 24:08 see that he had fantasized about this for several years. In the days that followed, Highland Park grieved over 24:14 their enormous loss. It is in fact only the tip of the iceberg because in 24:20 addition to that, dozens of people were injured, hundreds were mentally scarred, and thousands upon thousands of people 24:26 who will visit Central Avenue in Highland Park will feel it. Something like this will always completely 24:32 transform a town. Moving into the legal proceedings of 24:38 this case, the prosecution did not go slow with Robert. He was initially charged with six counts of first-degree 24:44 murder, which was then upgraded to seven when one of his other victims died in hospital. However, that would only be 24:51 the beginning. Only a few days later, a grand jury would return with a 117count 24:56 indictment, which included 21 counts of murder, 48 counts of attempted murder, 25:02 and 48 counts of aggravated battery, which actually is quite impressive. I'm 25:07 still amazed that states like Illinois can slap on so many charges. Of course, these charges reflected the true gravity 25:15 of Robert's actions. Because this wasn't only about seven people who were murdered, but dozens of others injured, 25:21 thousands mentally scarred, and an entire community ripped apart. Robert appeared in court on July the 6th. He 25:28 showed no emotion when his bond was denied, which isn't surprising because being real, nobody even half expected 25:35 he'd be given such a thing. He also showed no reaction to the victim's families in the courtroom and no 25:41 recognition of the lives that he'd ruined in the process. As the case dragged through 2023 and then into 2024, 25:49 Robert's defense team would try to push for an insanity plea. Meanwhile, the public's anger would turn towards the 25:55 many red flags that were missed along the way. As a result, the state launched a review into its failed red flag laws, 26:02 and many civil suits would follow, targeting not only Robert, but the store that had sold him the gun and his very 26:09 own father, who signed his license. In fact, in a rather unusual, but welcomed 26:14 move, Bobby's father, Robert Kremo Jr., was also charged with reckless conduct for helping his son obtain a firearm 26:21 license. He ultimately took a plea deal over a misdemeanor charge which landed him 60 days in jail. And despite that 26:28 tiny sentence, he would only serve half of it before then being released. I can see why many people saw this as a slap 26:35 on the wrist. And personally, I have to agree. But hey, at least it was something against his father. And then 26:42 in a strange twist that nobody saw coming, Robert himself even offered to plead guilty. Now, to begin with, he 26:48 would actually back out of this initial offer, which would reopen old wounds for survivors who now had to prepare to 26:55 relive their trauma in court. But several months later, he would then change his mind yet again. And on March 27:01 the 3rd, 2025, Robert Cremo III formally plead guilty to 21 counts of murder and 27:08 48 counts of attempted murder. At the time of his plea, he was 24 years old, 27:13 and of course, he was going to receive the harshest sentence possible in Illinois. It was on April the 24th of 27:19 2025 that he was officially sentenced. The judge, Victoria Rosetti, would hand 27:25 down the only sentence that made sense. For all of his actions, he received seven consecutive life terms without the 27:33 possibility of parole. And if that wasn't enough already, he was given 50 more years for each attempted murder. 27:39 Now, the angering thing about all of this is that Robert didn't even attend any of his sentencing. That means that 27:45 he didn't see or face any of the people whose lives that he shattered, and he wouldn't even have to listen to any of 27:51 the impact statements. Instead, his chair remained empty while people just 27:56 merely spoke to that space instead. For 2 days, survivors and grieving families 28:01 would deliver those impact statements. Words were spoken into a space where Robert should have been. And I think for 28:07 a spineless man like him, he should have been forced against his will to listen to all of these statements. To be honest 28:14 with you, I can't believe that he was actually allowed to opt out of it. I think that sounds ridiculous. 28:22 So, by now we've walked through most of Robert's story, but of course, there is still one big question that still 28:28 remains here, and that is why did he do it? Robert was a quiet, awkward, and shy 28:33 kid from an otherwise peaceful town. And although sure his childhood wasn't the best in some areas, it wasn't too bad 28:40 either. So what transformed him into a horrible killer? The truth is, we don't 28:46 actually know because although there is a lot of media that he shared online, he never really gave a direct motive or a 28:52 manifesto. I mean, he did create this rather strange cryptic letter, which we'll get to in just a moment. And there 28:58 is that strange are you awake video, too, with all of those strange lyrics. But as for a direct manifesto, no, not 29:06 really. Even after the fact and in police interviews, he never offered any clear explanation either. All we really 29:12 have are these strange videos, violent lyrics, and digital breadcrumbs that, yeah, do suggest and hint towards 29:19 something, but never provide any clear concrete answer. And so, in the absence of a confession, we are left without any 29:26 hard facts. All we can really do is retrace the outlines of his life and speculate. Mental health struggles 29:33 almost certainly played a role here, and Robert's downward spiral followed an all too common pattern of social withdrawal, 29:40 suicidal ideiation, and violent fantasies. It all seemed to begin with the death of his closest friend. He shut 29:47 down emotionally, and while there were police visits and fleeting contact with mental health services, nothing stuck. 29:54 Robert had no treatment plan, no consistent follow-through, and no actual support. Meanwhile, his mother posted 30:01 online about spiritual healing, but not actual therapy. And whatever help he may have needed, it never seemed to 30:07 materialize. In addition to this is the element of loneliness, too. He lost the one close friend he had, dropped out of 30:15 school, never seemed to recover, never formed any lasting bonds, never had a proper relationship, and then moved away 30:22 from his family. Instead, he seemed to find a home in online echo chambers 30:27 where edgginess and weird behavior is totally normalized and people seem to lean into violence which is often 30:34 rewarded with attention. And as I've already mentioned, he seemed to have only aesthetic ideological influences. 30:41 Because although he did dabble in far-right imagery, posted hate symbols, and even admired killers like Lee Harvey 30:47 Oswald, it wasn't cleancut extremism either. He didn't target anyone based on race or religion and never seemed to 30:54 talk about it either. In short, it was all just kind of random. 31:00 I think the main thing that sticks with me here is that more than anything, he seemed to be obsessed with the idea of 31:06 becoming someone rather than fighting for any sort of cause. He animated his own school shooter fantasies, wrapped 31:13 about his own death, and even edited himself into a sniper's perspective over Central Avenue. Add a whole bunch of emo 31:19 montages to the mix and well, I've got one word for you. Narcissism. So, what 31:25 really was Robert's motive? Although we can never really tell, what I would put it down to is poor mental health and 31:32 Robert desperately trying to make a name for himself, no matter the cost. All that we really do know is that he 31:38 documented himself for multiple years before the attack and that none of this actually seemed to be spontaneous. And 31:45 so on that note, could all of this have possibly been stopped? Well, unfortunately, the answer is yes, 31:51 because those warning signs were always there. The threats, the police reports, and the violent videos online were 31:57 obvious red flags. And in the end, the system looked the other way in every opportunity. All of the questions 32:04 surrounding his motive have not disappeared either. In the aftermath of this attack, Illinois tightened its 32:10 laws, hoping that this will deter shooters in the future. Although unfortunately many national loopholes 32:16 remain, there is no full answer to why this happened. And unfortunately, we likely will never know. But speaking of 32:23 never knowing, Robert did release a 28page document called Arcturus. It's a long sequence of numbers that still to 32:30 this day have not been deciphered. But of course, this might be his own cryptic way of releasing a personal manifesto. 32:37 By the way, while researching this one, I realized that my good friend Diet Trip covered this case a little over a year 32:43 ago. And it seems that after sharing Arcturus with his followers, one of them actually managed to crack page one. I'll 32:50 be leaving a screenshot of it right here for you to read. Oh, and just another shout out to Diet Trip here. If you'd 32:56 like another in-depth perspective of this case, then please do check him out. The guy works so hard on his videos and 33:03 deserves the recognition. Just one more random side note, by the way. But Robert Kromo's old family home is actually 33:10 abandoned now, too. Another YouTuber who goes by the name of Stringer Media decided to look in the family home and 33:16 speak to a few locals. Here are a few clips of the house in its current state. And if you'd like to see more of this, I 33:22 advise you check out his own channel, too. 33:32 Anyway, folks, I think I've covered all of the important parts today, so I'm going to wrap this one up here. But I'll 33:38 finish by saying that this case leaves behind an entire graveyard of whatifs. The truth is, we may never actually know 33:44 Robert's motives. All we're really left with are a whole bunch of red flags and a troubled mind that caused a lot of 33:50 pain for, well, nothing really. Now, to be honest with you, I don't like giving 33:55 killers a platform unless it's at their own expense. And so I'd like to remind you that Robert Crimo is a very poor 34:01 excuse of a human. And for whatever bravado that he thinks he might have, just remember that he is nothing but a 34:06 cringe-worthy narcissist who thinks that disgust equals attention. And I hope you're enjoying prison emo shaggy. 34:12 Anyway, folks, that really is it for me today. Thank you so much for watching and as always, I'll see you again very shortly for another video. If you found 34:19 this case interesting, then please do remember to subscribe. It really does help the channel out. Otherwise, if you 34:24 want to follow me on social media, just go to Coffee House Crime on Facebook or Instagram. And yeah, I think that's 34:30 pretty much it today. Until I see you again, remember to look after yourselves, look after each other, and 34:35 of course, stay safe and stay curious. Thank you and goodbye.