A drive-by shooting turned a celebration into a tragedy at Mello Buckzz’s album release party, resulting in the deaths of four people and injuries to 14 others.
The incident occurred outside Artis Restaurant and Lounge, located in Chicago’s River North area.
Among the victims were the rapper’s boyfriend and a close female companion.
Buckzz shared her grief on social media, stating: “We was having so much fun in our private little life, couldn’t leave each other alone glued to my hip everyday. It’s not a night we ain’t spend together. I’m so fucking angry. U was woke I held yo hand until I couldn’t. U talked to me. Clearly ion get it boo, I’m fucked up.”
She also expressed: “My heart broke into so many pieces rn it’s unbelievable. Why is this happening to me? … I don’t wish this typa pain on nobody dam my fucking crew.”
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson commented on the shooting during a press conference, noting: “Shootings like these are a tragic reminder of how far we still have to go as a city. 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.”
Surveillance video captured a black SUV approaching the location slowly before firing at the crowd for a few moments and then fleeing the scene.
Authorities have not identified any suspects and have not determined a motive, though they suspect possible gang activity.
Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling commented: “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. 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.”
