Chicago, IL – A celebration for a rising Chicago rapper turned into a deadly scene Wednesday night when a drive-by shooting outside a downtown nightclub left three people dead and 16 others injured.
According to Chicago police, gunfire erupted just after midnight near Artis Lounge in the 300 block of West Chicago Avenue as attendees were leaving an album release party for 24-year-old rapper Mello Buckzz. Authorities confirmed multiple people were allegedly struck by bullets in what appears to have been a targeted attack.
Emergency responders from Northwestern Medicine treated several victims at the scene and transported others to area hospitals. The conditions of the injured have not yet been publicly released. As of Thursday, no arrests had been made and no suspects had been named.
The rapper, who has gained national attention for tracks such as “Boom (Mouskatool)” and “Computer Murders,” shared emotional messages on Instagram following the incident. “Prayers up for all my sisters… feel like everything just weighing down on me,” she wrote, also noting the loss of two individuals close to her.
The party was intended to mark the release of Buckzz’s latest album, but instead ended in violence that has prompted renewed concerns over nightclub safety and event security in the city.
Chicago Police Department’s Area Three detectives are continuing to investigate the shooting. Authorities are urging anyone with information or video footage from the area to come forward.
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