Highland Park Shooting: Illinois Suburb Known for Big Hollywood History Before Tragedy
Years before Highland Park, Illinois made headlines over a tragic 4th of July parade massacre, it was better known as the filming location for some of the most nostalgic movies to ever grace the silver screen.
"Ferris Bueller's Day Off," "Uncle Buck," "Sixteen Candles," "Risky Business" and "Weird Science" are just some of the memorable titles that chose the affluent suburb – located about 30 miles outside of Chicago – as the setting for their stories.
One filmmaker, in particular, was clearly enamored with Highland Park, as the legendary John Hughes filmed several of his iconic 80s coming-of-age stories, including "Home Alone."
Highland Park may have been attractive to Hollywood, but the area also played host to some of the greatest athletes in the world ... as both Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen owned homes during their storied NBA careers with the Chicago Bulls.
July 4th Parade Shooting
Unfortunately, Highland Park is in the news for a different reason in 2022, as a deadly shooting during a 4th of July parade took the lives of 6 innocent people and injured dozens more. Perched on a rooftop with a "high-powered rifle," a deranged man opened fire into a crowd before making a getaway. The ages of the victims ranged from 8 to 85 years old.
Luckily, the 22-year-old alleged shooter was tracked down by police hours later and taken into custody without further incident.
As of now, a motive is not clear and no charges have been filed.
