Police process the crime scene on July 5, 2022 following a shooting at Highland Park’s Independence Day parade. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line] 

On July 4 last year, a gunman opened fire on parade goers in Highland Park from the anonymous cover of a rooftop, killing seven people and wounding 48 others. It would be hours before the suspect was caught driving around Lake County. 

Under a new law that took effect Friday following Gov. JB Pritzker’s signature, Illinois police will have new abilities to get a bird’s eye view of special events like parades that supporters hope could allow police to catch a mass shooter before a shot is fired.