Yet another house party ended in tragedy this weekend, despite a complete ban on parties and gatherings across the county.
Officers responded to a home in the 2800 block of Caroline Way in Arcadia Sunday at about 8:40 p.m., according to the Los Angeles Times. One man in his 20s had been shot multiple times and was later pronounced dead at Huntington Memorial Hospital. Another person was arrested on weapons charges, but authorities did not say if that person is a suspect in the shooting.
Investigators say about 20-30 people were in attendance at the party, which L.A. County Sheriff’s Department Lt. Robert Westphal told KTLA appears to have been hosted at an Airbnb.
This is at least the fourth party resulting in violence in the past month.
On Aug. 4, a woman was shot and killed at a mansion in Beverly Crest. On Aug. 11, several people were wounded in a shooting at a warehouse party in Torrance. On Aug. 26, a man was fatally shot at another party in Beverly Crest. According to the Times, this also took place at a rented home that had drawn complaints from neighbors in the past.
Even when parties don’t erupt in gunfire, health officials say they can still have deadly repercussions in the community with the ever-looming threat of COVID-19.
Both the city and Airbnb have been trying to shut down parties on the short-term lodging service. Airbnb recently suspended more than 50 L.A. County properties for violating its global party ban, which went into effect Aug. 20. The ban also caps the number of guests at any property to 16. Guests and hosts who fail to follow the rules are subject to community bans and possible legal action.
Meanwhile, the county issued a legally binding ban on parties, and Mayor Eric Garcetti has threatened to cut off water and power services to homes where parties occur. He’s already done so at the Hollywood Hills home of TikTok stars Bryce Hall and Blake Gray. Additionally, City Attorney Mike Feuer just filed criminal charges against the pair, as well as two homeowners whose houses have been the subject of multiple complaints.
Editor’s note: A representative from Airbnb said in an email to Los Angeleno that the company does not have a listing at the home where the shooting occurred and that “this incident did not happen during an Airbnb reservation.”