A night of live music at a popular downtown Aurora spot turned deadly Saturday when gunfire ripped through a concert at Two Brothers Roundhouse, leaving two people dead and a third badly wounded as stunned concertgoers scrambled for safety. Witnesses described a panicked rush for the exits while staff and patrons tried to help the injured. Authorities have not yet released the victims’ names and say the investigation is still in its early stages.
Aurora police said the shooting broke out during an event at Two Brothers Roundhouse, 205 N. Broadway, sometime before 9:30 p.m., according to ABC7 Chicago. Officers arriving at the scene found three people with gunshot wounds and moved quickly to secure the building while detectives began interviewing witnesses.
As reported by CBS News Chicago, a woman taken from the restaurant to a hospital was later pronounced dead. A man was hospitalized in critical condition, and another man - believed by police to be the shooter - was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators told reporters they believe all three people involved knew one another and that the incident appears to be domestic in nature. The Kane County Coroner’s Office is expected to conduct autopsies on the two people who died.
Witnesses and band statement
Patrons and social media posts said the band Beyond the Blonde was in the middle of its set when the shots rang out, turning the music venue into a frantic scene as people dropped to the floor and hid under tables. Several posts described concertgoers crawling for cover as staff urged people to stay down. The band later posted on Facebook that “We are all ok…. Just processing what happened,” a statement noted by CBS News Chicago.
Police response
Aurora police sent out alerts as officers rushed to the Roundhouse and later announced there was no active threat to the wider public, according to Patch. Officials said investigators are reviewing security footage and social media posts and expect to share more details once they firm up the sequence of events.
What investigators will review
Detectives are working to line up witness accounts with video and online posts as they reconstruct what led up to the violence, and city officials said they plan to provide updates as more information is verified, ABC7 Chicago reported. The shooting has rattled downtown Aurora, where the Roundhouse regularly draws crowds for live shows, and authorities say they are focused on establishing a clear timeline and motive.
