River North shooting took place after Mello Buckzz's album release party in Chicago, leaves 4 dead

At least four people were killed and fourteen were wounded in a mass shooting in Chicago's River North neighborhood Wednesday night, police said. The casualties occurred following a drive-by shooting in Chicago. At least three of them are in critical condition, reported news agency AP.

The shooting happened just outside Artis Restaurant on West Chicago Avenue, during a record-release party for rapper Mello Buckzz. Local reports suggest the shooting happened late night near the 300 block of West Chicago Avenue, outside Artis Restaurant and Lounge, as well as a Dunkin’ Donuts. A number of clubs and businesses are located in that area, and witnesses say they heard rapid fire and a car racing out of the area.

Police say a large group of people were gathered outside when an SUV drove by and opened fire around 11pm.


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According to police, someone opened fire into a crowd standing outside and immediately drove away the vehicle. Police hadn't made any arrests by Thursday morning. “Traumatizing. I’m just shook,” one female witness told WGN Radio.

The crowd was said to be leaving the nightclub following an album release party for rapper Mello Buckzz, according to CBS News. Rapper Mello Buckzz 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."

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.”

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Chicago mass shooting

According to Axios, the four victims were two men and two women and four others are listed in critical to serious conditions at local hospitals.The victims injured in the shooting range in age from 21 to 32 years old.

Preliminary information from police said 13 women and five men ranging in age from 21 to 32 were shot, and that the dead included two men and two women. Those shot were taken to multiple hospitals, police said.

Video showed people waiting and crying outside of hospitals. Other images showed multiple police and ambulances at the scene of the shooting.

Police said that nine people, including the two women who died, were taken to Northwestern Hospital. Five people, including the two men who died, were taken to John H. Stroger Hospital.

A woman named Arielle who lives in the area said she could tell something bad had happened just by looking at the face of someone who was at the scene.

“I was downstairs doing dishes when I heard this ruckus,” Arielle said. “The first face that came downstairs , when I saw that face, I literally grabbed the phone. … I know faces, I know energy. I could tell something was up.

“The minute I saw that face, I grabbed the phone. I’m the first one to call 911.”

The mass shooting comes as the city gears up for a historically violent weekend. Last year, 109 people were shot and 19 killed over the Fourth of July weekend.