Shooting at Airbnb Rental During ‘Large Party’ Attended Mostly by Juveniles Leaves 9 Injured By Desiree Anello

At least nine adults and juveniles sustained injuries during a shooting at a “very large” Airbnb rental in Bath Township, Ohio, near Cleveland.

During the early hours of Nov. 2, the Bath Township community experienced a “tragic and senseless act of violence,” during which shots were fired at a party attended mostly by juveniles, according to the Bath Township Police Department. It has not yet been confirmed if all nine victims sustained gunshot wounds or were injured in other ways.

“We can confirm that a large party was taking place at this location, which we’ve learned was advertised on various social media platforms, drawing a significant crowd,” Bath Police Chief Vito Sinopoli said during a press conference shared by ABC affiliate News 5 Cleveland. “Our deepest sympathy goes out to the victims’ families and all those affected by this devastating incident.”

With assistance from surrounding police departments and fire units, authorities shared that the victims were all transported to local hospitals for treatment and that their conditions are being closely monitored.

“This kind of violence is unacceptable in our community, and we’re committed to providing all available resources to this investigation,” Sinopoli continued. “We’re actively gathering evidence, reviewing surveillance footage, and interviewing witnesses.”

Preliminary indications show that the majority of the shots that were fired were on the first floor of the “very large home” located in the 900 block of Top O Hill Drive.

After shots were fired at the event that was advertised online as a “birthday party” around 12:16 a.m., many individuals “immediately fled.” Upon arrival, first responders provided “life-saving aid to those who sustained injuries” while limiting contact with the residents to preserve evidence until investigators could arrive on scene.  

According to Sinopoli, an incident previously occurred at another Airbnb in July 2017, during which one individual sustained a leg wound. Adding that “no community is immune from violence,” he stated that there is a zoning prohibition within Bath Township that prevents short term Airbnb rentals and that he was in contact with the property owners the morning after the shooting. 

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“This is a community — violence is not commonplace here,” Sinopoli told News 5 Cleveland. “We do our very best to ensure the protection of our residents and business owners. When an incident like this occurs, we’re very upset about it. We’re going to do our very best to find out who’s responsible for this and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.”