Dad of Highland Park suspect said he sponsored his son's gun permit application because he thought he wanted to go to the shooting range

• Seven people were killed in a mass shooting at a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois.
• The suspect's father said he sponsored his son's gun permit as he thought he wanted to go to a range.

The father of a man suspected of the fatal mass shooting at a Fourth of July parade said he sponsored his son's gun permit application because he thought he wanted to go to a shooting range.

Robert Crimo Jr. told the New York Post that he sponsored his son's firearm owner's identification card, which Illinois residents must have to possess firearms or ammunition legally.

He said he did this because he believed his son wanted to go to the shooting range and that the 21-year-old suspect was given background checks when he bought the guns.

"You know, he drove there, he ordered them, he picked them up, they did his background check on each one," he told the Post.

He said he had "zero" involvement in the mass shooting.

The father of the suspect said people have tried to blame him for the shooting: "They make me like I groomed him to do all this. I've been here my whole life, and I'm gonna stay here, hold my head up high, because I didn't do anything wrong."

A shooting suspect opened fire during a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, a Chicago suburb, on Monday, killing seven people.

Police identified Crimo Jr.'s son as the shooter, and took him into custody.

He was charged with seven counts of first-degree murder, the Lake County state attorney said, adding he could face "dozens more" charges.

Dozens were also injured during the shooting spree, where the shooter shot more than 70 rounds, authorities said, Insider reported.

The shooter carried the attack out with a rifle and owned at least 5 guns, authorities added on Tuesday.

He made his first court appearance on Wednesday. A prosecutor said that he admitted the shooting, Reuters reported.

Crimo told the Post he wants a substantial punishment for his son: "I want a long sentence."

"That's life. You know you have consequences for actions. He made a choice. He didn't have to do that. I think there's mental illness there, obviously. … I didn't see a lot of it."