Five people have died and another 24 are in hospital following a mass shooting at a Fourth of July parade near Chicago.
The FBI have launched a manhunt for the shooter, who it's understood still remains active, reports the Mirror. Hundreds of attendees ran for safety as the horror unfolded just 10 minutes into the annual procession in Highland Park, Illinois, US at 10am local time on Monday.
On Central Street, in the city's downtown area, parade-goers left behind chairs, prams, bicycles and blankets as they fled the event route. It is understood up to nine people were shot - though police have not yet confirmed this, reports the Mirror.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker told reporters at an Independence Day event in nearby Evanston: “Unfortunately as you may know, we have an active shooter situation in Highland Park at their parade. It’s been reported that there have been nine people shot. I’m still getting reports.”
Local media reported several witnesses describing hearing multiple gunshots - with some giving descriptions of a suspect with a yellow backpack. One witness claimed to have heard more than 20 shots being fired.
Some said they saw the shooter on a shop roof. They told Chicago's WGN Morning News anchorman Dan Ponce that the shots were coming from on top of a camping outlet store in Central Avenue.
In a tweet, he said: "Witnesses say the shooter was on the roof of Uncle Dan’s and fired into parade. 5 or 6 shots, then a pause, then 5 or 6 more shots. The shooter is still at large and North Shore residents are being asked to stay inside."
Officers were reported to be telling people at the scene: "Everybody disburse, please. It is not safe to be here."
The Lake County Sheriff's office said on Twitter: "STAY OUT OF THE AREA - allow law-enforcement and first responders to do their work." It added that deputies were assisting Highland Park police.
A reporter for the Chicago Sun-Times said they saw blankets covering three bloodied bodies and five other people wounded near the parade's reviewing stand. Police and fire engines have been pictured at the scene and officers are said to be patrolling with rifles. A heavy presence of emergency responders were already attending the parade prior to the incident.
No information has been released on the suspect, or the extent of the injuries. Witness Larry Bloom told NBC Chicago at first people thought the popping sound was part of the parade.
"You heard like a 'pop, pop, pop,' and I think everybody kinda thought maybe it was a display on one of the floats and then it just opened up," he said. "I was screaming and people were screaming. They were panicking and and they were just scattering and I, you know, we didn't know. You know, it was right on top of us."
Fellow attendee, Lisa Schulkin, told WGN9: “All of a sudden you just heard the gunshots, multiple and quick in a row, and then masses, masses of people running. The streets were just filled with people running, kids crying."
She went on to describe how she hid under a car with several others until about 10.45am, when her husband came to meet her. Manuel Rangel told USA TODAY he saw dozens of people running past his house.
“They looked scared. They were panicking,” he said. “You never see those things here. It’s a quiet place.”
A video, posted to TikTok, shows people sitting on a grass bank watching a brass band adorned in American flags marching past before people repeat "gunshots" over and over.
A woman is heard shouting "Oh my God!" as the marchers quicken into a jog and spectators begin to clamber to their feet. The cameraperson, who appears to be a young boy, says in a panicked voice: "Oh my God, it's gun shots! I can't believe I actually recorded that!"
He repeats himself a couple of times before sirens can be heard and he says "Ma!" Another video filmed after the majority of parade-goers have fled, shows abandoned bicycles and fold-up chairs on the pavement, with fire engines lined up along the street.
Emergency responders in face masks and rubber gloves can be seen running by at one point. Mayor Nancy Rotering confirmed at around 11am local time that the parade was officially cancelled.
She said in a social media post: "Highland Park Police are responding to an incident in downtown Highland Park. Fourth Fest has been canceled. People avoid downtown Highland Park. More information will be shared as it becomes available."
The parade was scheduled to finish at 10pm, with performing acts, floats and live music on the agenda. The villages of Deerfield and Glenview have also canceled their Fourth of July parades in response to the incident.
U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider was among those in attendance at the Highland Park event when shots rang out. He confirmed him and his team were safe.
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