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A rapper has spoken of her heartache after four people including her boyfriend were killed in a drive-by shooting at her album launch party in Chicago.
Around 18 people were wounded in the shooting in the 300 block on West Chicago Avenue while people were leaving the Artis Lounge nightclub.
People left the club at around 11pm when somebody in a dark SUV drove past and fired shots into the crowd outside.
In a series of Instagram stories posted by the rapper Mello Buckzz after the shooting, she paid tribute to her boyfriend and posted: ‘My heart hurt so bad’, with a series of photos of them together.
Another story posted includes a photo of her with her boyfriend and another woman with the caption: ‘I can’t believe I lost both ya’ll in one night.’
She posted in a later story: ‘Prayers up for all my sisters God please wrap your arms around every last one of them. We need you, I need you, ngl I’m f****d up…feels like everything just weighing down on me… All I can do is talk to God and pray.’
She posted a video to her Instagram account before the shooting teasing the album release.
Some people in the comments section wished her well and mentioned the shooting.
Chicago Police confirmed four people had died, including two men, 24 and 25 years old and two women, 26 and 27.
The 24-year-old man was shot in the chest and the 25-year-old man was shot in the head while both women were shot in the chest.
The victims in the shooting range in age from 21 to 32 years old.
City officials confirmed there were three shooters and that four people are in a critical condition in hospital.
Footage at the scene showed a large emergency service presence in the area with bystanders helping those who were injured.
Mass shootings in the US in 2025
In the US so far this year there has been 195 mass shootings, resulting in 216 people killed and 643 wounded.
There has been 7,400 gun deaths and 13,290 injuries due to gun violence, according to the Gun Violence Archive. This includes 119 children and 506 teenagers killed by gunfire.
The Trace publishes an interactive map that shows fatal and nonfatal mass shootings that have taken place across the US since 2014.
Many of these shootings are concentrated around the south east and south of the US as well as the west coast.
No arrests have been made yet and an investigation is ongoing.
Owners of Artis Lounge said in a statement: ‘Last night, an act of violence occurred within the vicinity of our restaurant and it deeply shook us.
‘Artis was created as a safe space. A Space where Black, Brown, Queer, and allied communities could gather, be celebrated, and feel at home in River north.
‘We’ve always led with that mission. And what happened last night disrupted it in the most painful way. Our hearts are with the victims and their loved ones.’
A mass shooting happened at the same nightclub in November 2022, when it was known as the Hush Lounge.
During this incident, one person was killed and three others were wounded after a group were thrown out after fighting in the club.
The club was shut down after the shooting and Artis Lounge reopened in the same location.
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