The gunfire started at 11:00 p.m. on July 2 outside Artis Lounge in Chicago’s River North. The crowd was leaving an album release party for drill rapper Mello Buckzz when a black Honda circled the block, slowed down, and opened fire. Four people were killed. Fourteen others were wounded. The shooters fled east. No arrests have been made. Police recovered shell casings from rifles and handguns. Surveillance footage and Ring camera clips show the chaos. Screams. Blood. People crawling. Phones dropped. One officer carried a young woman over his shoulder to a waiting ambulance.
Among the dead were Mello Buckzz’s boyfriend and her best friend. Devonte Williamson, 23, was shot in the chest. Taylor Walker, 26, was hit in the chest. Aviance King, 27, was also killed. Leon Henry, 25, died from a head wound. Three others remain in critical condition. One woman was shot in the mouth. Another was hit in the back. A third took a bullet to the leg. Eight more are listed in stable condition. The wounded range from 21 to 32 years old. One person was injured while fleeing but not shot.
🚨🇺🇸 Chicago Rapper Mello Buckzz entire family was shot and killed at her album release party at a Chicago bar two days ago 14 people were shot in the drive-by they’re still looking for the shooters.
This is one of her videos flashing all kinds of guns and a shoulder mount… pic.twitter.com/u3cDk6cfd4
— Todd Paron🇺🇸🇬🇷🎧👽 (@tparon) July 4, 2025
Imagine just minding your own business driving through Chicago where the Mayor just said it’s safe because of his policies & you hear this.
Come to find out it was a total of 18 ppl shot, 4 of them died. https://t.co/CqOTMRJkse pic.twitter.com/ErY8vrQGww
— Libs Of Chicago (@Libs_OfChicago) July 3, 2025
The party was for Buckzz’s new mixtape, “HollyHOOD.” Her lyrics reference retaliation, block warfare, and killing rivals. She rose through the drill scene with tracks like “Boom Pt. 2” and “Essex Block Remix.” Her collaborations with G Herbo and Latto pushed her into national spotlight. The venue was packed. Flyers were posted across the city. The club had been shut down in 2022 after another fatal shooting. It reopened in April. The city has now issued a summary closure order.
Police say the shooters did not care who they hit. The rounds were sprayed into homes, cars, and the crowd. Witnesses heard more than 20 shots. The motive is still under investigation. Law enforcement sources say Buckzz may have been the intended target. She had already left the venue when the shooting began. Her Instagram posts after the attack show grief and disbelief. “I held yo hand until I couldn’t,” she wrote. “My heart broke into so many pieces.”
The incident has reignited debate over drill music and its connection to street violence. Buckzz’s videos include references to real-life feuds. Her lyrics name rivals. Her visuals show weapons. The party was promoted with clips from her latest video, which includes threats against unnamed rappers. The footage from the shooting shows people running as gunfire echoes. The video is now circulating across social media.
Sources:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/mello-buckzz-album-release-party-140928955.html
https://mediatakeout.com/drill-rapper-mello-buckzzs-bf-fatally-shot-at-album-release-party/
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/chicago-shooting-mello-buckzz-event-1235378463/
