A shooting broke out early Sunday morning at a house rented through Airbnb, where dozens of teenagers had gathered for a birthday party promoted on social media. The incident left at least nine people injured in Bath Township, a town located about 15 miles northwest of Akron, Ohio. Police Chief Vito Sinopoli told a press conference that the incident occurred around 12:15 a.m. and described the scene as “chaotic,” with people fleeing the scene while emergency services attended to the victims. The severity of the injuries has not yet been determined. One of the victims may not have been shot, but injured in a fall during the panic, Sinopoli added. Most of those present were minors. The official noted that the residence had been rented through Airbnb, despite local ordinances prohibiting short-term rentals. Most of those present were under 18, and the victims may have included both teenagers and adults.

“The Bath Township community suffered a tragic and senseless act of violence early this morning,” lamented Sinopoli, who added that at the moment there are no arrests and it has not been determined how many people fired shots.

Airbnb suspended the listing and the host's account

In a statement issued on Sunday, Airbnb said that “unauthorized and disorderly gatherings” are prohibited and announced the immediate suspension of the listing, as well as the deletion of the account of the person who booked it.

“We are deeply saddened by this senseless act of gun violence, and our thoughts are with the injured victims and all those affected,” said the company, which stated that it is cooperating with local police.

Background and prevention measures

Chief Sinopoli recalled that in In 2017, a similar incident occurred at another Airbnb rental in Bath Township, where a man was shot and wounded during a party.

The recent shooting coincides with the rollout, days earlier, of a new “anti-party” artificial intelligence technology implemented by Airbnb in the United States and Canada, designed to detect and block reservations at risk of misuse.

According to the company, the system analyzes factors such as the reservation duration, the distance between the guest and the property, and the time of the request. Last year alone, these measures prevented 38,000 reservations in the United States and 6,300 in Canada.

Airbnb maintains a global ban on parties

The company imposed a permanent global ban on parties in 2022, following several incidents of violence in properties rented through the platform.

“Strong policies must be complemented by strict enforcement of the law,” Airbnb stated at the time, emphasizing that the measures aim to prevent both unauthorized parties and large gatherings on private properties.

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