Witnesses recount the Highland Park shooting

Meanwhile, authorities defend decisions to give the suspect a gun permit. Here's what you need to know today.

To view this email as a web page, click here. Today's Rundown is brought to you by WBEZ members and   by Hunter Clauss   Good afternoon. It’s Thursday, and today’s newsletter begins with heartbreaking accounts from witnesses on how the Highland Park shooting unfolded. Here’s what you need to know. 1. The stories from witnesses   In interviews with The Washington Post, witnesses recount moments of confusion, panic and sorrow after a gunman opened fire on Highland Park’s Fourth of July parade, killing seven people and wounding dozens more. “The fact that my children will have this memory for the rest of their lives is what’s most devastating,” said Emily Lieberman, a pediatrician who fled with one of her young children to a single-person bathroom at a nearby winery and locked the door. Others later joined them, with 16 people crammed in the bathroom, the newspaper reports. The Post also talked to Karen Abrams, who emerged from hiding in a Country Kitchen to find a man walking from the scene covered in blood. “I asked him if he was okay, and he said, ‘It’s not my blood, but I don’t know if I’ll ever be okay.’ ” Abrams told the Post she then tried to find family and friends, but a man told her: “You don't want to see this.” [WaPo] Among those killed were a devoted mother, a grandfather with a big smile and a couple who are survived by their 2-year-old son, Aiden.  The father, Kevin McCarthy, shielded the toddler from gunfire, according to a family member.  “They were crazy about their child,” Aiden’s grandfather said. “They were planning two.” [Chicago Sun-Times] 2. The Illinois State Police defends its decision to give the suspect a gun permit   The director of the Illinois State Police told reporters this week that there was not enough evidence to block the suspect from legally purchasing guns even though Highland Park police warned he posed a “clear and present danger.” In 2019, police visited the suspect’s home after getting a report he’d threatened to “kill everybody,” authorities say. But the suspect and his mother denied the allegation, and no arrests were made, officials say.  So there was “insufficient basis” to deny the suspect’s request for a firearm owner’s identification card, said Brendan Kelly, director of the Illinois State Police.  There were also no other factors that would have prevented the suspect from getting a gun permit, Kelly said, adding the suspect wasn’t the subject of a domestic violence order or a court order blocking him from owning a gun. [Chicago Sun-Times] 3. Republican Darren Bailey held a gun raffle that included a weapon nearly identical to the one used in the Highland Park shooting   State Sen. Darren Bailey, the Republican nominee for Illinois governor, faces criticism for a 2019 fundraising event where he raffled off a Smith & Wesson AR-15. “The raffle imagery, as well as Bailey’s longtime embrace of bills to expand and protect gun rights, is opening him up to more scrutiny nationally and in his home state when there is fresh momentum to ban assault-style weapons in the state — and nationwide,” reports Natasha Korecki for NBC News. Bailey, who won the GOP primary election with the endorsement of former President Donald Trump, has struggled to respond to the Highland Park shooting. He received criticism for saying “let’s move on” about two hours after the attack. Bailey then apologized for that comment. [NBC News] 4. Fundraising heats up in Chicago’s mayoral election   Paul Vallas, a former CEO of Chicago Public Schools, dropped $836,500 into his mayoral campaign fund this week “in the first significant fundraising report filed by any of the seven candidates vying to unseat Mayor Lori Lightfoot,” reports Fran Spielman at the Chicago Sun-Times. Among the big donors backing Vallas is prominent Republican donor and golf course magnate Michael Keiser, who contributed $500,000.  Lightfoot, meanwhile, had just $1.7 million in cash in her primary political account, according to a report filed to the state’s election board in April. The mayor has not yet submitted an updated report, but she raised more than $558,000 through July 5, the Sun-Times reports. Veteran political operative Peter Giangreco told the newspaper that Lightfoot’s “only path” to victory is to “hope and pray that she gets into a runoff with Paul Vallas,” then paint Vallas “as a Republican in a city that’s 70% Democrat.” [Chicago Sun-Times] 5. A NASCAR race on Chicago’s streets?   The Lightfoot administration is expected to announce this month an agreement with NASCAR to hold a race on a temporary street course in the downtown area, reports The Athletic. The city has “expressed its endorsement for an event to be held in the city for a three-year stretch beginning in 2023,” The Athletic reports, citing a letter obtained through a public records request. [The Athletic]  It’s unclear where exactly the race would be in the downtown area. And what will the name of the race be? Pothole Mania 2000? The Speed Cam 500?  SPONSORED BY THE SQUARE ROOTS FESTIVAL Join the fun in Lincoln Square July 8 – 10 Square Roots Festival brings together the best of Lincoln Square, Chicago and beyond! With the best craft beer showcase of any Chicago street fest plus the Brew Lounge, Square Roots is a local craft beer lover's dream. Over 11 breweries plus specialty tappings. Entertainment includes Bob Mould, Guided by Voices, DEHD, Hayes Carll, Lily Hiatt and over 50 acts, plus the Sunnyside Kid Zone! All proceeds benefit Old Town School of Folk Music and Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce community programming. This Friday thru Sunday on Lincoln Avenue between Montrose and Wilson. Full music schedules and menus at squareroots.org. Here's what else is happening It will cost the city $80 million this year and next if the City Council changes a key speed camera policy, Lightfoot says. [Chicago Sun-Times] Lightfoot heads to Paris and London to tout Chicago’s economic recovery. [Chicago Sun-Times] Researchers can now explain how climate change is affecting your weather. [NPR] The U.S. wants overseas producers to continue supplying baby formula. [AP] Oh, and one more thing... It’s Thursday, and if you’re near Harrison Park in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood, you’ll probably see a group of Aztec dancers practicing.  My friends over at Curious City have this delightful story about a group of dancers called Huehuecoyotl, which means Ancient Coyote in Nahuatl, an indigenous language spoken in Mexico.  Axel Becerril, 10, spotted the dancers on his way to swimming lessons one day last year. He’s been dancing with them ever since.  “I got interested when I saw people dancing,” Axel said. “I thought it was a type of tradition that people dance, but I didn’t know at the time. I just thought it was about joy.” [WBEZ] Tell me something good I went on a road trip over the weekend, and some readers emailed me their podcast recommendations. So let’s keep them coming. What’s a good podcast you recently listened to? Mary Gasparac writes: “Podcast suggestion: SmartLess! Sean Hayes, Jason Bateman and most of all Will Arnet are hilarious! They are quick with the humor and have fun interviews with celebrities. I just listened to their 100th podcast with Bradley Cooper, laughed and was entertained the whole time.” Pam Larkin writes:  “Truth’s Table is a great listen, as well as Therapy for Black Girls.” And Jerrica writes:  “In the midst of a very heavy world, I’ve found the podcast Normal Gossip to be a perfect source of levity.  It scratches a nostalgic itch — it feels like being back at high school sleepovers, sharing the craziest stories about your cousin’s best friend’s co-worker. Low stakes, but utterly delicious.” Feel free to email or tweet me, and your response might be shared in the newsletter this week. therundown@wbez.org | @whuntah Thanks for reading and have a nice night! I'll see you tomorrow.  — Hunter Clauss P.S. 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