Robert Crimo III is part of a troubling trend among mass shooters
Before law enforcement released his name to the press, Robert Crimo, III — or his digital persona — was a largely ignored figure on the internet. The 22-year-old was a SoundCloud rapper who went by the name “Awake”, whose music went virtually unnoticed. But since the Highland Park shooting, it has been played for tens of thousands of people all over the nation. His apocalyptic clichés, odd filming locations, and the meaningless symbols he’d chosen to tattoo onto his face were all analysed by amateurs and professionals alike. It was just the sort of attention he’d always craved.
