Briana Lawrence, a 25-year-old African American woman, tragically lost her life on June 15, 2021, in a mass shooting in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood. The incident occurred around 5:45 a.m. when two gunmen opened fire at a gathering inside a house, resulting in eight people being shot. Briana Lawrence was among the victims who suffered gunshot wounds to the head. She was pronounced dead at 2:20 p.m. on June 19, 2021, at the University of Chicago Medical Center.
Briana, who had a young daughter, had been working at a seafood restaurant and was described by her father as being "on the right path".
The mass shooting also claimed the lives of four other individuals: 19-year-old Shermetria Williams, 28-year-old Ratanya Aryiel Rogers, 32-year-old Denice Mathis, and 34-year-old Blake Lee. The shooting is believed to have stemmed from an argument during the gathering. Chicago police have indicated that they have a "pretty good" idea of who may have been responsible for the shooting, but the investigation is ongoing. The house where the shooting took place had a history of criminal activity, including a previous shooting in November 2019. The building is owned by a veteran Chicago police officer, Enrique Badillo Sr., who has been stripped of his police powers pending an internal investigation.
The city of Chicago filed a "public nuisance" lawsuit against Badillo in March 2020, demanding increased security measures at the property. The lawsuit was stalled for over a year due to difficulties in reaching Badillo, despite his employment with the city. The investigation into the mass shooting is moving forward, with detectives working on a comprehensive plan to identify and apprehend the perpetrators. The tragic loss of Briana Lawrence and the other victims has highlighted ongoing concerns about violence and safety in the Englewood neighborhood.
