A man accused of opening fire on an Independence Day parade in the United States has been indicted by a grand jury over the killing of seven people and the wounding of dozens of others.

The grand jury in Chicago, Illinois, on Wednesday indicted Robert E Crimo III on 21 first-degree murder counts, 48 counts of attempted murder and 48 counts of aggravated battery.

Prosecutors previously filed seven murder charges against Crimo. They announced the grand jury’s decision to indict him on 117 felony charges on Wednesday.

“I want to thank law enforcement and the prosecutors who presented evidence to the grand jury today,” Lake County’s State Attorney Eric Rinehart said in a statement. “Our investigation continues, and our victim specialists are working around the clock to support all those affected by this crime that led to 117 felony counts being filed today.”

Lawyers for Crimo have not yet formally responded to any of the charges he faces in the July 4 shooting in downtown Highland Park, Illinois. A message left with the county’s public defender’s office on Wednesday was not immediately returned.

The decision comes amid renewed scrutiny of mass shootings and demands for stricter gun laws in the US following a spate of mass shootings. In May, a gunman in Uvalde, Texas, killed 19 children and two teachers when he opened fire in a school.

Source:aljazeera.com