Highland Park Mass Shooting Temporary Memorials Combined Into One

HIGHLAND PARK, IL — City officials on Monday moved a memorial to the July 4 parade shooting victims from Port Clinton Square to another temporary memorial at the Veterans Memorial, consolidating the two memorial sites to a single location at the intersection of Central and St. Johns avenues.

Justice Department victims services experts have advised that keeping temporary memorials has brought comfort to many people, according to a statement from city staff.

"Additionally, mental health experts have shared that efforts to restore incident locations to their familiar form is beneficial in the long term, especially for children," staff said. "Combining these meaningful memorials at one location will help us to honor these differing ways of processing the trauma experienced on July 4."

Seven people died and about 50 others were wounded when a 21-year-old gunman fired more than 80 bullets into a crowd of paradegoers at Highland Park's first Independence Day parade in three years, authorities said. Apprehended eight hours later upon his return from Wisconsin, the accused killer is set to be arraigned Wednesday on 117 felony counts.

Planning for a permanent memorial will not begin in the immediate future in order to allow space to grieve for community members and the people who have been most affected by the tragedy, city officials said.

"We appreciate your understanding as we approach this significant undertaking with the respect and sensitivity it deserves," the statement from city staff continued.

Public input will be part of the process for developing a lasting memorial, according to staff. Those interested in sharing ideas or suggestions with city officials may email staff at HPCares@cityhpil.com.