Survivors describe Chicago Halloween party shooting that left 15 wounded; "I just pray this is not my last day"
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Two people remained in critical condition on Monday, after a mass shooting at a Halloween party in North Lawndale left 15 people wounded.
One suspect was in custody, but no charges had been filed as of Monday afternoon.
CBS 2's Shardaa Gray spoke to some of the victims who were shot during the chaos, and one of those victims was especially fortunate his injuries weren't more serious.
Paris Brown, 29, spoke from his hospital bed on Monday, with a bullet still lodged in the back of his head, after being shot in his back and shoulder. His left arm was left in a sling after his shoulder was broken.
It wasn't the first time he's been shot. In 2012, Paris was shot in the back, and left paralyzed. He's relied on a wheelchair ever since.
Paris said he normally doesn't leave his home, but he's a content creator, and he wanted to be with other social media influencers.
"I'm already trying to kind of keep myself protected. So I thought staying closer to the door would have been a good safety protocol for myself, but it turned out that that probably wasn't the best place to be at this night," he said.
Police said 15 people were shot inside Studio 1258, at 1258 S. Pulaski Rd. in North Lawndale, just after 1 a.m. on Sunday.
"I was shot in my back. It went up my back. Shot in my shoulder blade, came out of my neck … came out of my neck, and went back into my neck, and now the bullet is lodged in … the back of my head," Paris said. "I'm all over the place mentally right now, but I know that I'm happy to be alive, grateful, and I know that I'm alive for a reason, so I'm going to continue to stand on that."
Despite his injuries, Paris created a small skit letting his viewers on social media know he survived.
"A lot of people was reaching out, and I wasn't able to just contact everybody, so I felt the best way to let people know I'm okay is counter that video with another video of me presumably doing better," he said.
Paris said it's going to take a month or two for his shattered shoulder to heal, but as far as the bullet lodged in his head, he said doctors are going to wait to remove it, because it could be risky to take it out.
Darrin Brown, not related to Paris, is a local comedian. He was also near the front entrance of the building at the time of the shooting. He was shot in the elbow.
"I'm good. I'm just glad that everybody else is okay, because we hear that was our guest, and I'm glad I'm okay, but there's people that had worse injuries than me," Darrin said.
Darrin Brown and fellow comedian Jermaine Banks helped promote the party, which nearly 100 people attended. Darrin said before the chaos, the suspect asked to take a picture with him.
"I took a picture with the guy, telling me he drove up there. I don't know if he was from there," he said. "But he was telling me he was a big fan, and stuff. I mean, I took a picture with him. Like, it was a good night, but that was earlier that night."
Banks said the suspect got drunk and was kicked out of the party by security, then went to his car and got a gun.
"The guy had too much to drink. We put him out the party and he got mad," said Darrin Brown. "Next thing you know, he just came back with a gun and was shooting."
Banks said he doesn't know how many shots were fired.
"I wasn't counting," Banks said. "At the moment, it just didn't seem like it was going to ever quit, it wasn't going to end, and the only thing flashing through my mind is I just pray this is not my last day," he said.
Studio 1258 where the shooting took place is listed as an art gallery in city records. Yet since 2021, the Chicago Department of Buildings has questioned whether it is really an unlicensed club.
"It's gone through a couple iterations - community bar, community hangout community club - now apparently art gallery," said Mike Trout, executive director of the Young Men's Education Network, "but it's not community asset."
Meanwhile, Banks and Darrin Brown said they both want to apologize to their guests. They planned to be at Tuesday's opening of an emergency assistance center for those affected by the violence. It will be held from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Young Men's Educational Network, 1241 S Pulaski Rd, across the street from where the shooting happened.
Chicago Police were able to track down the shooter thanks to people pointing him out to officers.
