According to Pittsburgh’s police blotter, two minors were killed early Sunday at a Pittsburgh Airbnb party hosted at an Airbnb rental in the city. At least eight others had been shot and were being treated for their wounds.
At around 12:30 a.m., police were called to a house party with as many as 200 people, many of whom were underage.
“As many as 50 rounds were fired inside, prompting some party-goers to jump out the windows, sustaining injuries such as broken bones and lacerations. Several more shots were fired outside the home,” the police said in the blotter. Many young people fled the area on foot and in vehicles.
At a press conference this afternoon, Police Chief Scott Schubert said that preliminary evidence indicates that there were multiple shooters. After an altercation, Schubert claims that shots were fired both inside and outside the house, possibly back and forth.
As many as eight crime scenes are being investigated by the department, it has said. At this time, no arrests or suspects have been made public. As soon as possible, authorities released the names of the two boys who perished. A 14-year-old was one of them, according to Schubert. However, Schubert revised the number of gunshot wounds reported by police from nine to six.
The mayor’s office and the city’s police department have been contacted by Airbnb to assist with the investigation. The person who booked the listing has been banned from the platform for life, and the company says it is “considering all legal options” to hold them accountable.
“Airbnb strictly bans parties, and we condemn the behavior that is alleged to have prompted this criminal gun violence,” Airbnb spokesman Ben Breit said in an emailed statement. He went on to say that the party had been thrown without the host’s permission and without his knowledge.
Short-term rental platforms like Airbnb and HomeAway have struggled with so-called “party houses,” where people rent a listing to host a party. After five people were killed in a shooting at one of Airbnb’s bookings, the company implemented a ban on party houses and other safety measures.
However, due to the way these businesses operate, they are unable to prevent all parties. It is possible for guests to check in to remote properties while the owner is away, and they are free to have as many guests as they like over.