Birthday Party Turned Tragic When Shots Rang Out, Killing 3 In Chicago

CHICAGO, IL — A birthday celebration turned tragic early Sunday morning, when a shooting left three families grieving their loved ones.

Mariah Vera was celebrating with her father, Rick Vera, and friends, Mario Pozuelos and Mercedes Tavares, at Vera Lounge in Portage Park when an argument escalated and shots rang out nearby, according to police as well as friends and family of the victims.

The incident just before 2:30 a.m. in the 5500 block of West School Street left 25-year-old Mariah Vera in critical condition when she was shot in the head, police said. Rick Vera, 50, was killed, as were Pozuelos, 26, and Tavares, 24, according to officials, friends and family.

“He was taken from us too soon due to a senseless act of gun violence,” Ricardo Pozuelos said in a GoFundMe started to help pay for Mario Pozuelos' funeral. “They never deserved this, our Mario had his whole life ahead.”

Tavares leaves behind infant twins and a young son, her friend, Nikai Moya, wrote in a Facebook post.

As of Tuesday evening, GoFundMe fundraisers to cover the victims’ funerals and medical costs had received thousands of dollars in donations, but none had yet reached their goals.