Mello Buckzz Mixtape Release Turns Tragic as Boyfriend is Fatally Shot

Violence Strikes at Mello Buckzz’s Release Party: Boyfriend Shot Dead.

Here’s the latest on the devastating incident at Mello Buckzz’s release party:

💔 Incident Details

• On July 2 around 11 p.m. CDT, a dark SUV pulled up outside Artis Restaurant & Lounge (formerly Hush Lounge) in Chicago’s River North neighborhood. Three armed individuals opened fire into the crowd as Mello Buckzz’s album/EP release party was ending nbcchicago.com+15pitchfork.com+1511alive.com+15.
• The attack left four people dead—two men (ages 24 and 25) and two women (26 and 27)—and 14 others injured (ages 21–32), some critically chicago.suntimes.com+9pitchfork.com+9apnews.com+9.

👥 Victims & Personal Ties

• Among the deceased were Mello Buckzz’s boyfriend and one of her best friends pitchfork.com+1blockclubchicago.org+1.
• Mello Buckzz shared her grief on Instagram, writing that her “heart broke into so many pieces,” asking for prayers and mourning the loss cadenaser.com+15blockclubchicago.org+15apnews.com+15.

🔍 Investigation & Scene

• Multiple shell casings from both a handgun and a rifle were recovered blockclubchicago.org+6chicago.suntimes.com+6wbez.org+6.
• Authorities believe Mello Buckzz was the intended target, but she had left the venue before the shooting began pitchfork.com+6chicago.suntimes.com+6wbez.org+6.
• No arrests have been made yet; police are actively searching for the suspects the-sun.com+1nypost.com+1.

🏙️ Community & Venue Impact

• Artis Lounge, a Black- and LGBTQ-owned venue, was designed as a “safe space” for diverse communities. Its owners expressed that the shooting “shook us deeply” 11alive.com+12apnews.com+12chicago.suntimes.com+12.
• The same location saw a fatal shooting in 2022 when it was known as Hush Lounge pitchfork.com+1axios.com+1.
• This violence coincides with the lead-up to the July 4 weekend—a historically high-risk period for shootings in Chicago apnews.com+1axios.com+1.

🔜 What’s Next

• The investigation is ongoing: reviewing surveillance footage, interviewing witnesses, and issuing suspect descriptions.
• Officials are urging anyone with information to come forward.

Would you like deeper insights on Chicago’s rising summer violence, details about the victims, or updates as law enforcement releases more info?