Chicago City Wire

Chicago Contrarian announced on X that it questioned whether Artis Lounge met legal requirements—including permits, security, liquor license, surveillance, and police cooperation—when hosting Mello Buckzz’s release party, where a mass shooting occurred.

According to CBS Chicago, a mass shooting outside Artis Lounge during a release party for rapper Mello Buckzz resulted in four deaths and 14 injuries. This incident has renewed concerns about safety and compliance at nightlife venues. The same River North address was previously home to another club shut down by police after a fatal shooting in 2022, as reported by ABC7 Chicago. Both outlets suggest a pattern of serious incidents at this location and raise questions about whether city officials have done enough to enforce event and licensing rules at Artis Lounge and similar venues.

NBC Chicago reports that Alderman Brendan Reilly said that Artis Lounge only possessed a retail food license—not a tavern license or a public place of amusement license—despite hosting a large event where alcohol was served and bottle service was provided. City code requires additional licensing and security planning for such gatherings, and Reilly argued that Artis may have violated these rules by working with promoters and not implementing required security measures. He called for the venue’s permanent closure, citing repeated licensing violations and lack of oversight as putting the public at risk.

NBC Chicago confirms police obtained and reviewed surveillance footage from Artis Lounge following the mass shooting. The report states that the Chicago Police Department requested all available video footage from Artis, with city officials scrutinizing both internal and external camera recordings as part of the investigation. However, questions remain about whether Artis fully complied with city requests and whether its overall security setup was adequate, echoing accountability concerns voiced by Chicago Contrarian.

According to its official website, Chicago Contrarian is a digital news and commentary platform covering civic accountability, public safety, and government transparency issues in Chicago. The outlet frequently publishes investigative articles and opinion pieces scrutinizing city policy, crime trends, and the performance of public officials. It maintains an active social media presence using X and its website to highlight perceived lapses in local governance and regulatory oversight.