CHICAGO — A late-night celebration turned into one of the city’s bloodiest tragedies as gunfire erupted outside a River North lounge, injuring 18 people and killing four in what may be the most devastating single shooting in modern Chicago history.
Gunfire outside rapper’s release party sparks mass panic
The shooting took place around 11 p.m. on July 2 outside Artis Lounge at 311 West Chicago Avenue, where fans had gathered to celebrate a record release party for local rapper Mello Buckzz. Just as the event wrapped up, drive-by shooters opened fire on the crowd, sending people scrambling and leaving a trail of blood-stained rags on the sidewalk.
One of the deceased, according to social media posts, was the rapper’s boyfriend. Authorities have not confirmed any arrests as of publication, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Chicago crime trackers say this could be historic
According to HeyJackass, a crime data website that closely tracks shootings and homicides in Chicago using CPD reports and open-source data, this incident is the deadliest mass shooting since their recordkeeping began in 2013.
The site lists this tragedy at the top of its chart for victim count, surpassing several other high-profile mass shootings in recent city history, including:
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15 shot at a Halloween party (Oct. 29, 2023 – South Pulaski)
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15 shot outside a funeral home (July 21, 2020 – West 79th Street)
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14 shot, 1 dead on Halloween (Oct. 31, 2022 – South California)
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13 shot during a memorial in Englewood (Dec. 22, 2019)
Comparisons to Chicago’s most fatal events
While other past shootings in Chicago have resulted in more deaths — including the 2016 Gage Park murders and the 2019 Dunning apartment shooting — no single gun attack has left 18 victims physically wounded in one incident since at least 2013.
Among the most fatal incidents in recent memory:
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6 killed (Feb. 2016, family murder in Gage Park)
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5 killed (Dec. 2016, home invasion – East 105th)
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5 killed (Oct. 2019, Dunning neighborhood apartment)
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5 killed (June 2021, South Morgan house party)
These events were either stabbings or shootings with smaller total victim counts, but higher fatality rates.
Artis Lounge owners under scrutiny
In the wake of the shooting, city officials are now focusing on the venue itself. According to a follow-up report from CWB Chicago, the owners of Artis Lounge allegedly misled city aldermen about their intentions for the business. Local leaders have expressed concern over the lack of transparency and prior safety complaints linked to the lounge.
South Side gang ties suspected
Authorities are also investigating whether the shooting was gang-related. Mello Buckzz’s social media contains references to a known South Side street gang faction, though no motive has been officially confirmed. The attack’s timing — right after a high-profile music event — has raised alarms about possible retaliatory violence.
Were you at the River North party or affected by recent gun violence in your neighborhood? Share your experience in the comments. ChicagoSuburbanFamily.com is committed to covering how crime impacts our communities.
