What should’ve been a night of celebration for Chicago rapper Mello Buckzz turned into unimaginable tragedy. On July 3rd, during a listening event for her latest release HollyHOOD The Mixtape, gunfire erupted outside Artis Restaurant and Lounge in the River North area, killing four people and injuring 14 others.
Nearly two weeks later, on July 15th, Mello spoke out publicly for the first time. In a heartfelt message posted to Instagram, she expressed deep sorrow for the lives lost and the pain now etched into her community.
“These weren’t strangers,” she wrote. “These were people I love. These were friends, family, creatives, significant others, and people who’ve been with me through this entire journey.”
The incident, which occurred just after 11 p.m., involved a drive-by shooting from a dark-colored vehicle. Police are investigating and believe there may have been multiple shooters involved, citing the recovery of shell casings from two different firearms. No arrests have been made. The victims included two men, 23 and 25 years old, and two women, aged 26 and 27.
Mello described the attack as “senseless,” and said she continues to carry a heavy heart in the aftermath. “There’s no reason a group of innocent people, mostly women, should have ever been targeted in that way,” she added.
She promised to carry the memory of the victims with her moving forward. “I will continue to honor those we lost, stand by those who are healing, and do everything I can to keep their memory alive.”
The city has since shut down Artis Restaurant while officials investigate the incident. Police Superintendent Larry Snelling called the violence “cowardly,” and Mayor Brandon Johnson urged anyone with information to speak out. Some officials are now pushing to permanently revoke the venue’s license.
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