Four dead, 14 wounded and a gunman on the loose: How an album launch ended in bloodshed on a Chicago street
At least four people were killed and another 14 were injured in a drive-by shooting just outside of a Chicago rapper’s album release party, authorities said.
Guests leaving an event celebrating the release of Chicago-based rapper Mello Buckzz’s latest album, Hollyhood, at the Artis Lounge nightclub in the city’s River North neighborhood were targeted by a barrage of gunfire around 11 p.m. Wednesday night, authorities said.
Two men, ages 24 and 25, and two women were pronounced dead, while 14 others were shot, including three who were left in critical condition.
The vehicle holding the suspect – or suspects – immediately fled the scene. No arrests had been made as of Thursday morning.
Here’s what you need to know about the horrifying mass shooting:
What happened?
An album release party for Chicago-based rapper Mello Buckzz had just ended when the shooting took place.
Attendees were leaving the venue when the suspect, or suspects, opened fire on the group as they convened on the sidewalk on the 300 block of West Chicago Avenue on the Near North Side.
In a post to her Instagram story, Buckzz, whose real name is Melanie Doyle, wrote: “Prayers up for all my sisters god please wrap yo arms around every last one of them.
“We need u i need u ngl im f***ed up ..feel like everything just weighing down on me… All i can do is talk to god and pray.”
In another post the 24-year-old rapper said, “I can’t believe i lost both yall in 1 night,” along with a photograph of her with two friends. Another read that her “heart is broke into so many pieces.”
The party was being held at the Artis Lounge, which is in the same space as the former Hush nightclub that shut down after it was deemed a public safety threat following a fatal shooting.
Who was shot?
Four people were killed and another 14 were injured in the attack, authorities said.
Two men, ages 24 and 25, and two women were pronounced dead, police said. The ages of the women were not immediately shared by police, but the family of one of the female victims identified her as 26-year-old Taylor Walker, WGN News reported. Both women were shot in the chest, while one of the men was shot in the chest and the other in the head, according to The Chicago Tribune.
The identities of the other victims were not immediately known.
According to police, at least 16 of the 18 victims were between the ages of 21 and 32. Five men and 13 women were shot.
Among those shot, three were listed in critical condition.
Meanwhile, nine people were in good condition, one was listed in fair condition and another was listed as stable.
What was the reaction to the shooting?
Witnesses described the chaotic scene and blood-covered sidewalk just outside the venue to WGN News.
“I heard a lot of gunfire, and then the next thing you know, there was a whole bunch of police officers driving by fast, (and) ambulances, fire and rescue,” a witness named Deshaun said.
“Traumatizing, I’m just shook,” another female witness added.
Pastor Donovan Price said the scene was “absolute chaos.”
“From people screaming, to blood on the streets, to people laying on the streets,” he said. “Just a massive police presence.
“Just horrific. More than I’ve ever seen.”
Who is the suspect?
Chicago police had not publicly named a suspect in the deadly mass shooting as of Thursday morning.
Their preliminary investigation, however, revealed that the gunman – or gunmen – were driving a dark-colored car when they drove up near the group leaving the nightclub late Wednesday night.
Either one person or multiple people took out one or more guns and opened fire into the crowd, police said.
A motive was not immediately known in the attack.
