thousands of Illinois residents.

>> First off tonight, a surprise move today is the man facing murder charges in the Highland Park parade shooting changes his plea to guilty.

It happened just before opening statements were set to begin this morning at the Lake County Courthouse at Masterson joins us now with the latest in map.

What exactly happened court today where we are expecting the start of the trial was supposed to be opening statements.

As you proceedings were supposed to get underway in this month-long trial.

But instead, right before prosecutors are about start giving those statements, Robert Crimo the 3rd through his attorneys decided to change his plea to guilty.

>> The this he didn't just plead guilty to one charge he faced 69 charges.

He pleaded guilty to every single one of those was 21 counts of first-degree murder.

48 counts of attempted murder socks.

He came as a big surprise that everyone in the courtroom there was not much indication that this was going to be happening.

It seemed as though things are going to be proceeding as usual, but it's not a total shock.

Remote last year had just about agreed to a plea deal and then backed out at the last second.

And actually his father did the exact same thing when he was going to go to trial on reckless conduct charges back in 2023.

Minutes before the trial is about to begin.

He pleaded guilty as well to reduced charges in that case.

And what is this plea change mean exactly?

Was this a deal struck by prosecutors?

He was not Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart made very, very clear that there were no plea to get negotiations, that this was not a deal that crimo me this touches decision on his own and opted to do this without any benefit coming to him from the prosecutor's As I said, he pleaded guilty to every single count.

Thank you.

Faced as for what it means exactly, there obviously will not be a trial.

The victims who were set to testify will no longer have to do so and they will have to sit in court and within 2 weeks and weeks of potentially traumatizing evidence having to relive this, this mass shooting.

What what reaction did you hear from victims as well as the prosecutor after today's change?

Definitely, there is a sense of relief that was brought up by one of the witnesses who was at the parade.

She was not harmed, but her Anderson recounted having to run for their lives.

They said this was a sense really for them on Highland Park.

Mayor Nancy Rotering said the same thing was relief that this city can move forward.

Now that this case is essentially finished victims who are in court.

There are many of them did not speak with press afterwards.

They did speak with Reinhart who recounted that many of you handling this in different ways.

They expected this case to begin today not to.

And so it was very powerful moment for them to hear cream, all except guilt and know that this case is finished and that he will be essentially spending the rest of his life prison.

What we know that what this means for sentencing, right?

Because he pleaded guilty to multiple first degree murder counts.

He's going to receive an automatic sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

On top of that, the additional attempted murder charges the sentences handed down for those can be served consecutive to that.

Nothing will make any practical difference because will be facing numerous life sentences that hearing for his actual sentence will be in April and the victims who were set to testify.

Many of them will still have the chance to make a statement.

A victim impact statement at that point if they want to tell the court how this shooting has impacted their lives for the last 2 and a half years since it happened.

Okay.

Well, I'm sure a relief, as you said for for some of those family members and survivors that Masters and thank you experience.

And of