18 shot, at least 4 killed in River North mass shooting, Chicago police say
Rapper Mello Buckzz was hosting a party inside Artis restaurant and lounge at the time of the shooting.
CHICAGO (WLS) -- A mass shooting left 18 people shot, four fatally, near a restaurant in River North Wednesday night, Chicago police said.
The shooting took place at about 11:02 p.m. in the 300-block of West Chicago Avenue in front of the Artis Restaurant and Lounge.
With no one in custody, police are appealing to the public for information in this case as questions continue to mount.
The city has already issued a temporary closure of the restaurant that was hosting the event police said was targeted by the gunmen, but the alderman for River North's ward is calling on that closure to be permanent. He said the restaurant, which was operating as a BYOB, violated the terms of their liquor license application.
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Rapper Mello Buckzz was hosting a mixtape release party inside that restaurant and lounge at the time of the shooting. She has released a statement on Instagram asking for people to pray for the victims.
Video from the scene overnight showed the chaos as crews rushed to treat the wounded after a volley of gunfire erupted near the intersection outside Artis.
"They opened fire on a crowd. They didn't care who was struck, and in a matter of seconds they were able to shoot 18 people," Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said.
Police said a dark-colored vehicle drove past and shots were fired into a crowd of people. The vehicle then fled the scene.
"You could hear boom, boom, boom, boom. You know, round after round. It's awful," witness Crystal Gray said. "People was just falling and screaming. I didn't walk over here. I stood across the street and I saw all of them falling... It looked like, like people, like overseas just laying on the ground."
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Gray was walking nearby when the gunfire broke out. She returned to the scene this morning remnants of the carnage still present.
"People was just falling and screaming," Gray said. "I didn't walk over here, I stood across the street and I saw all of them falling."
Two men were transported to Stroger Hospital, where they were pronounced dead, police said. They were identified by the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office as Leon Henry, 25, and Devonte Williamson, 23, both of Chicago.
Two women, ages 26 and 27, were transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where they were pronounced dead.
Family members identified the two women killed as Taylor Walker, 26, and Aviance Drexler, 27.
Three other victims were transported to hospitals in critical condition and another in serious condition, police said.
Ten others were transported to hospitals in good to fair condition.
Officials said Chicago police are looking into the possibility that the shooting may have been in retaliation for a previous incident.
Snelling said while the specific individuals may not have been the targets, the event they were at was.
"This was a private event," Snelling said. "It wasn't on the police department's radar because it was a private event."
The event was a party for a Chicago rapper known as Mello Buckzz, celebrating the release of a mixtape. On Instagram, the artist said in part, "Prayers up for all my sisters God. Please wrap your arms around every last one of them."
Officials are asking questions about Artis, the restaurant that was hosting the party. The location itself had been dormant for a couple of years after the city shut down its predecessor, Hush, where a shooting left one person dead and three injured in 2022.
"I'm furious and I'm incredibly frustrated," 42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly said. "There are some stipulations the city included there they had to sign off on. including not using promoters and not offering bottle service at their venue. It's pretty clear those two things happened last night."
Artis just opened this past April. It's been operating as a BYOB with its liquor license still pending.
"Prohibitions against using nightclub promoters and offering bottle service, and it's very clear this operator did those things last night," Reilly said. "I don't want to see any new operation in that venue. It's cursed as far as I'm concerned."
Artis did not return ABC7's messages Thursday, but the restaurant released a statement saying, "Last night, an act of violence occurred within the vicinity of our restaurant - and it shook us deeply.
"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.
"We are working closely with authorities and taking steps to ensure the continued safety of our community. This moment is painful - but it only strengthens our commitment to holding space for this who need it most. "
Speaking at a news conference Thursday afternoon, Mayor Brandon Johnson expressed sympathy for the families of the victims.
"Shootings like these are a tragic reminder of how far we still have to go as a city," Mayor Johnson said. "Shooting into a crowd is not the best of who we are. It is unacceptable and we will not stand for that in the city of Chicago. We are frustrated, but we are also grieving. We will not rest until there is full accountability,"
Mayor Johnson then asked anyone with information to come forward.
"I'm calling on anyone who has information to come forward," Johnson said. "Come forward to help us find these individuals and bring them to justice."
CPD Superintendent Snelling called the shooting "deplorable" and "cowardly."
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"We have to do better," Snelling said. "We have to hold people accountable and we as a society have to hold people accountable."
Pastor Donovan Price was on scene just minutes after the gunfire broke out to provide support and comfort to shooting victims.
"We have a lot of shootings, but nothing like this," Pastor Price said. "It's happening everywhere. It can happen anywhere. I think people should realize there's no place too good for it. There's no place too bad for it."
More violence interrupters made their presence known at the shooting scene.
"Whatever we can do to make sure this doesn't happen again, we're here," one violence interrupter said. "We have boots on the ground."
Chicago police said they are still looking for suspects as the investigation continues. A motive for the shooting is still unknown.
Sharonda Booth's daughter, 26-year-old Taylor Walker, was killed at the shooting and her daughter's girlfriend was also shot at the mixtape release event. She was outside Northwestern Memorial Hospital as family members waited for updates.
"My girlfriend got shot too," Booth said. "My girlfriend told me that they put her in an ambulance, they took her out of one ambulance and put her in another one and she said that they were transferring her here. There were several people out here standing around here trying to find out and their loved ones were at Cook County, at Stroger."
Police are still investigating, but a source told ABC7 investigators believe multiple shooters were involved.
A sign was placed in the restaurant saying that it has been closed by the city.
The Illinois chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action issued a statement saying, "This mass shooting isn't just a headline, it's another horrifying reminder that gun violence follows us everywhere," said Julia Sun, a volunteer leader with the Chicago Students Demand Action group. "Our generation is tired of growing up with lockdown drills, community shootings, and our friends' lives being taken too soon. We shouldn't have to worry about a night out ending in bloodshed. America's gun culture has to change."
Alderman Reilly issued a full statement:
"I am deeply disturbed by the mass shooting that occurred around 11:00 p.m. on Wednesday night outside 311 W. Chicago Avenue, which resulted in 18 people shot and four fatalities.
"According to preliminary reports, the incident followed a private party hosted at Art-is, a recently opened BYOB "restaurant" operating out of the former Hush Lounge space.
"Following a similar shooting incident at the former late hour nightclub Hush (at this location) my office and the Chicago Police Department insisted on a summary closure and license revocation. After summary closure was issued, Hush surrendered their late-hour liquor license and closed.
"Because there is a moratorium on late-hour liquor licenses that I imposed in the 42nd Ward - a new nightclub could never be licensed or operated at this location.
"Video footage and witness accounts confirm that as guests were leaving the venue, a vehicle drove by and opened fire. The Chicago Police Department is actively investigating this horrific act of violence.
"Given the serious public safety concerns and clear mismanagement of this event, I am calling on the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection to revoke this business license immediately and pursue permanent closure of the establishment.
"Despite early assurances from the new restaurant owner that this venue would support local artisans, foster inclusivity, and serve as a hub for connection, creativity, and joy - the owners decided to turn over their venue to promote a new rap album release.
"It is clear the new operators were dishonest with the City about their plans for the venue and have now contributed to a devastating act of violence-just weeks after opening as a BYOB "restaurant."
"The Chicago Police Department and my office will be petitioning the Liquor Commissioner and BACP to deny a restaurant license to this operator; institute an immediate summary closure; and ensure this venue never re-opens.
"For years, Alderman Waguespack and I have been trying to pass an ordinance that would license and regulate nightclub promoters and the events they host. Countless mass shootings have occurred at clubs that use promoters to bring large crowds to local venues - with the club owners simply handing the keys to the promoters to do as they wish. That is irresponsible and wrong.
"This terrible, tragic incident is just the latest reminder that we need real reforms to our liquor licensing process and regulations to finally address this longstanding gap in city code that puts our neighborhoods at risk.
"We will continue to work closely with CPD, BACP and the Department of Law to use every enforcement tool available to ensure this business never reopens.
"We are praying for the victims and their loved ones as this investigation continues."
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