More than 200 individuals were at the party, according to Pittsburgh police, which was a violation of Airbnb guidelines
Airbnb says it would seek legal action against the individual who booked the party after a shooting at an Easter weekend house party at an Airbnb in Pittsburgh left two adolescents dead and another eight people with gunshot wounds.
In an email to The Verge, Airbnb spokesperson Ben Breit wrote, "Airbnb expressly prohibits parties, and we condemn the behavior that is believed to have provoked this illegal gun violence and devastating loss of life." According to him, the booking guest has been permanently barred from the platform. The party was "unauthorized," according to Breit, and was held without the property host's knowledge or consent.
According to Pittsburgh police, the incident occurred shortly after 12:30 a.m. on Easter Sunday. Police claimed up to 50 bullets were fired inside the party in the city's East Allegheny district, forcing some individuals to leap out of windows to flee. According to security footage, Pittsburgh police arrived to the party about 11 p.m. in response to a noise complaint, but left after warning a person who claimed to be the property owner to turn down the music, according to the Pittsburgh City Paper.
Two persons were shot and murdered in a tragic shooting at an Airbnb home in Pittsburgh's Hill District neighborhood in June of this year.
Airbnb prohibited "party houses" in November 2019 after five people were killed in a shooting at a California property during a massive Halloween party. Its policy forbids gatherings of more than 16 individuals and says that any evidence of parties could result in a $500 fine. The guideline imposes a curfew of 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. and prohibits persons under the age of 25 from listing full homes. Breit also mentioned the company's neighborhood assistance line, where residents can report potential parties or party houses.
The Pittsburgh City Council introduced legislation on Tuesday that would require short-term rental businesses to be licensed through the city's permits department. Property owners would be required to maintain track of who entered the premises and designate a contact person who could be contacted by authorities in the event of an emergency.
Airbnb said it was in touch with Pittsburgh police and Mayor Ed Gainey's office on Wednesday to assist with the investigation into the shootings. No arrests have been made as of this writing.
