As the community around highland
park elementary mourns the lives
lost in the July for shooting,
there are many questions about
the shooters motive in his
ability to legally obtain guns.
The gunman has been charged with
murdering seven people and his
plan to bring more charges if
convicted.
He could face life in prison
without the possibility of
parole.
Avoiding yet another tragedy in
the future.
Reporter: Illinois has one of
the strictest gun laws in the
country but it did not stop the
suspect from obtaining
high-caliber firearms.
Eric Rinehart is part of the
task force investigating what
happened and making charging
decisions.
He joins the newshour.
Mr. Reinhart, thank you for
joining us.
What more do you know about the
motive of the shooter to target
these parade Goers?
And what additional charges are
you looking at?
>> Thank you for having me on.
I want to continue to express my
condolences and our office's
condolences to the families that
lost their loved ones to the
ones who were injured.
This has been devastating to the
committee.
It has also been a lot of
strength and fortitude.
That is uplifting.
I want the evidence to come out
in court.
It's not something that we've
gotten into.
We are investigating a mountain
of evidence.
Everyone who was injured in that
, we will get justice for
everyone.
We will file a charge related to
each and every person that was
hurt.
We're looking at a few other
charges as well in terms of how
broad this plan and this attack
was to intimidate and scare
people.
Stephanie: One of the facts that
have come out is that the
suspect's father sponsored his
sons firearms application.
He was 19 when he sponsored that
application.
Our investigators speaking to
the father or the family?
>> End of the father has been
giving some immediate
interviews.
These types should be banned in
Illinois and beyond.
Stephanie: You said it is
alarming that he would be able
to get these guns under the
circumstances he was in.
Can he be charged as a law
enforcement official?
>> I don't agree with Mr.
Greenberg.
There is zero chance.
Where analyzing all the evidence
and information and we are
continuing to try to understand
this attack.
Stephanie: Why focus on the
federal assault weapons ban when
it has not been politically
viable for almost two decades.
These are based on laws that
already exist.
>> I think we should have it.
It used to be politically
possible.
It was bipartisan from 1994 to
2004.
It had law-enforcement support.
And I think we can do it in
Illinois.
It's not that I'm focusing on
one thing or another thing.
We need multiple ways to keep
our communities safe.
It's not one thing.
We should invest in mental
health infrastructure.
We should have digital
conductivity between
law-enforcement agencies,
prosecutors offices, court
systems, schools.
We need to do a lot of things.
But limiting and moving away
access to guns is one really
important step.
So many of these weapons used in
these mass killings were bought
legally.
Stephanie: So I want to focus on
your purview which is the law,
sir.
The suspect had two encounters
with police and 2019 for threats
of violence and suicide.
York county has laws that allow
for police or family members to
apply for a firearms restraining
order and prevent people like
that from getting guns.
Who or what failed in the system
that allowed this clearly
disturbed person to possess and
ar-15?
>> Absolutely.
When we pass the firearm
restraining order, the act
allowed law enforcement or
family members to file with the
court a petition that says an
individual should not be able to
possess firearms.
And if there are firearms, to
take firearms away.
In 2019, there were no firearms.
I'm not defending everybody in
2019.
I think the family had
information but it's a firearm
restraining order.
So I think it comes down to the
people that have the most
information.
The incident happens in highland
park.
Highland park reports it to the
Illinois state police.
Highland park is not notified
when he goes and buys a weapon.
And there's a lot of political
reasons why highland park is not
immediately notified.
I agree with you, Stephanie.
Something needs to be done here.
But why are we putting all of
this at a single point of
contact and lead to a single
point of failure?
We need to have multiple ways to
protect people.
Stephanie: Thank you so much for