Nine injured in ‘chaotic’ shooting scene at Airbnb birthday party, Ohio cops say
Nine people were hurt when a shooting broke out at an Airbnb birthday party advertised on social media, Ohio authorities say.
Bath Township officers were dispatched to the home around midnight Nov. 2 after they received multiple reports of a shooting, according to a news release.
Officers discovered a “chaotic” scene, according to Bath Township Police Chief Vito Sinopoli, who said in a news briefing streamed by WKYC that the party was largely attended by juveniles.
The cause of the shooting remains under investigation. Sinopoli said most of the shots were fired from the first floor of the “very large home.”
Of the nine injured victims, at least one was hurt when they suffered a fall, according to the police chief. It’s unclear if the remaining victims were all shot.
The severity of the injuries are unknown, Sinopoli said, adding that both adults and juveniles were hurt.
The police chief called it a “tragic and senseless act of violence.”
“Be mindful of where your children are,” Sinopoli said in a message to parents. “And if they tell you they’re going to be attending a large party that they saw on a social media post, be wary of that, and I would caution against them attending.”
Multiple agencies are investigating the shooting, police said. It’s unclear if the shooting was carried out by more than one person.
Officers had been in contact with the Airbnb property owner as part of its investigation.
In a statement to WKYC, Airbnb said it was “heartbroken” by the gun violence.
“Unauthorized and disruptive gatherings are strictly prohibited on Airbnb and our Safety team acted immediately to remove the account of the individual who deliberately broke those rules by booking this stay,” the Airbnb spokesperson sold the outlet/ “Our law enforcement response team is in contact with the chief of Bath Township Police Department to assist their ongoing investigation to ensure those responsible for this terrible incident are brought to justice.”
Akron Mayor Shammas Malik said the city “will do anything needed to assist” Bath Township police in their investigation.
He called it “very concerning” a large amount of young people were at the party.
“As we learn more about the situation that occurred last night, it appears to be part of a broader issue - helping make sure youth across our community are safe,” Malik said. “There is a significant role for parents in this regard, and there is a significant role for government.”
Bath Township is about a 10-mile drive northwest from Akron.