River North mass shooting victims include hairstylist, health care worker | What we know

CHICAGO (WLS) — Those killed in a mass shooting outside a River North restaurant Wednesday night included a hairstylist and a health care worker.

Devastated families have been gathering outside Northwestern Memorial Hospital Thursday, learning their loved ones didn’t make it.

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Eighteen people were shot, at least four fatally, just after 11 p.m. Wednesday in the 300-block of West Chicago Avenue, in front of the Artis Restaurant and Lounge.

Police said a dark-colored vehicle drove past, and shots were fired into a crowd of people. The vehicle then drove away.

Rapper Mello Buckzz was hosting a mixtape release party inside that restaurant and lounge at the time.

“I’ve buried two children, not trying to lose my daughter. I just ask God: Please make sure my baby’s OK, please,” said Sharonda Booth, whose daughter, Taylor Walker, 26, was killed. “My baby is 26 years old. She ain’t never been through no violence like this.”

Walker was a hairstylist from the South Side.

“My girlfriend got shot too,” Booth said. “My girlfriend told me that they put her in an ambulance; they took her out of one ambulance and put her in another one. And she said that they were transferring her here. There were several people out here standing around here, trying to find out, and their loved ones were at Cook County, at Stroger.”

Chicago Police Director of Community Policing Glen Brooks was at Northwestern Hospital, comforting family members Thursday morning.

Other victims were taken to Mt. Sinai, Illinois Masonic and Stroger hospitals.

That’s where Kelvin White’s niece, 27-year-old Aviance Drexler, was treated before she, too, died from her injuries.

“You can’t make this up; you couldn’t script this. I just saw her last night before the party. She was all dressed up, smiling, happy, excited, and now here we are today, this morning. It’s devastating,” Kelvin White said.

Drexler was married, and worked in health care, her uncle said.

Her sister was also injured at the launch party shooting and is still being treated at Stroger.

“This was a group of females that, for whatever reason, were targeted, and they were doing nothing but just trying to enjoy themselves,” Kelvin White said.

Both of those victims were friends with Buckzz, and were there supporting her Wednesday night at the mixtape release party before the deadly shooting.

Two men, ages 24 and 25, were also taken to Stroger Hospital, where they died, police said.

The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office identified them as Leon Andrew Henry, 25, of Chicago and Devonte Terrell Williamson, 23, of Chicago.

Three other victims were taken to hospitals in critical condition and another is in serious condition, police said.

Ten others were taken to hospitals in good to fair condition.

Those shot are in their 20s and 30s.

No one is in custody, and a motive is not yet known.

Police are still investigating, but a source told ABC7 Chicago investigators believe multiple shooters were involved.

This is a developing story; check back with ABC7 Chicago for updates.

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