“I always just assumed this was kind of a bubble where violence wouldn’t happen here, but it does,” a resident said.
The residents of Highland Park, Illinois, say a mass shooting was something they never thought would happen in their community.
In years past, the city’s annual parade was a patriotic and joyous family event — the kind you see in small towns and villages across the country.
Now, residents are in shock.
“We’re just trying to process what happened,” one person said.
“I always just assumed this was kind of a bubble where violence wouldn’t happen here, but it does,” another said.
“Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” star Rachel Brosnahan grew up in the Chicago-area suburb.
“This parade is a highlight of the year for so many families. No words,” Brosnahan said in a statement.
The affluent community 30 miles north of Chicago has also been the setting for many memorable films, like “Risky Business” and “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.”
The impact was felt across the country. Fireworks were canceled in nearby cities, including Akron, Ohio, which is already in crisis over the fatal police shooting of Jayland Walker.
In Philadelphia, gunfire prompted a stampede as thousands gathered to watch the city's annual fireworks. Videos captured the utter panic.
The same thing happened In Orlando — triggered only by the rumor of somebody with a gun that was never verified.
The Highland Park shooting was the 314th mass shooting in 2022, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
