A drive-by mass shooting outside the Artis Restaurant and Lounge in Chicago’s River North area claimed the lives of four people and injured at least 14 on Wednesday. According to reports, the crowd was exiting Artis Lounge after rapper Mello Buckzz’s album release party.
Around 11 p.m., according to Chicago police, a dark car passed the building on the 300 block of West Chicago Avenue, where three individuals from inside opened fire on a group of people gathered on the sidewalk, as reported by CBS News.
The ages of the gunshot victims varied from 21 to 32. Six of the injured were sent to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in good to critical condition, two were transported to Illinois Masonic Hospital, two to Mt. Sinai Hospital, and three to Stroger Hospital. According to Chicago police, four of the injured are in serious or critical condition.
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Two men who were shot were brought to Stroger Hospital and pronounced dead. They have been identified as Leon Andrew Henry, 25, and Devonte Terrell Williamson, 23 by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office. Two women, ages 26 and 27, were shot in the chest and transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where they passed away, according to Chicago police.
The 24-year-old artist has since posted social media tributes to those killed, including her boyfriend, Williamson, sharing photos of the couple together, one caption reading “my handsomeeee man.”
Buckzz also released a statement on social media, saying in part, “Prayers up for all my sisters god please wrap yo arms around every last one of them.” She then went on to say, “Feel like everything just weighing down on me … all I can do is talk to god and pray.”
Police said the shooting was a targeted attack, with some of the victims among Buckzz’s inner circle.
“They didn’t care who was struck, and in a matter of seconds they were able to shoot 18 people,” Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling said. “There’s a possibility that there was a rifle used … there were two different calibers of shell casings.”
Snelling would not confirm or deny the shooting might have been gang-related, but said police would be prepared for any possible retaliation.
“There’s coordination; not only coordination with our local partners here, but also our federal partners when it comes to the possibility of this being some kind of gang conflict,” he said. “We’re also making sure that anything that we uncover, and there’s a possibility of retaliation, we would have an idea of where that retaliation could occur and we would put resources in place to prevent that.”
Snelling said police would be out in full force this weekend, “making sure we are keeping the city safe and protecting lives.”
“We are mobilizing right now to make sure this incident does not return and bring about more violence,” Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said. Johnson noted Thursday night’s attack was not the only mass shooting in Chicago overnight.
“We will not rest until there is full accountability. I’m calling on any Chicagoan who has any information about these mass shootings, we are calling on anyone who has information to come forward,” Johnson said.
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Artis Lounge, where the incident occurred, confirmed they are working with authorities as the investigation continues.
Owners released a statement: “Last night, an act of violence occurred within the vicinity of our restaurant and it deeply shook us. Artis was created as a safe space. A Space where Black, Brown, Queer, and allied communities could gather, be celebrated, and feel at home in River north. We’ve always led with that mission. And what happened last night disrupted it in the most painful way. Our hearts are with the victims and their loved ones.”
Meanwhile, Snelling said that the city has issued a summary closure of the premises, effectively closing the business. They are still investigating the location itself.
According to CBS, the same location— previously known as Hush Lounge—was also the site of a mass shooting in November 2022 on the same block. After a group who had been removed from Hush began fighting, one person was killed and three others were injured.
After that shooting, the Hush nightclub was closed by police, and Artis Lounge was opened in its place.
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