“compiled:Sophia Bennett”
CHICAGO — A late-night drive-by shooting in Chicago’s River North district left four people dead and 14 others injured, including at least three in critical condition, police confirmed Thursday.
The attack took place just before midnight Wednesday outside a restaurant and lounge reportedly hosting an album release party for a rapper. According to authorities, an unknown assailant fired into a crowd gathered outside the venue before fleeing in a vehicle.
No arrests have been made, and police say the investigation is ongoing.
“It was absolute chaos,” said Pastor Donovan Price, a local crisis responder who arrived at the scene shortly after the shooting. “People were screaming, there was blood on the streets, and bodies lying everywhere. It’s the worst I’ve seen.”
Victims included 13 women and five men, aged 21 to 32, according to police. Two women and two men were pronounced dead — nine victims were taken to Northwestern Hospital, including the deceased women, while five, including the two men who died, were transported to John H. Stroger Hospital.
Outside area hospitals, video captured emotional scenes of families and friends waiting anxiously, some sobbing as they tried to get updates.
The River North neighborhood, typically a lively nightlife district filled with bars and restaurants, was transformed into a crime scene marked by flashing lights, ambulances, and stunned witnesses.
Authorities have not yet released a motive or identified any suspects.
