CINCINNATI — The shooting at a home on Fosdick Street that killed 21-year-old Sam Foster and hospitalized a 16-year-old happened at a short-term rental booked for a single evening according to the home's host, Mark Williams.
Cincinnati police responded to the home for a call of shots fired around 11 p.m. Thursday and neighbors reported at least 20 people running out of the home and into the streets in a panic.
Williams said the booking came as an "instant book" through Booking.com, which he said didn't allow him to pre-vet the renter as he would through applications like VRBO or AirBnB, but his host was able to make contact with the woman who rented the property.
"We reiterated both in writing and verbally that parties are not permitted on this property," he said.
Neighbors like Tracy Coleman were upset that the party could have happened at a short-term rental and demanded accountability.
"The landlord should do background checks and make sure that an adult is going to be there and, if not, don't rent it out because that's the only time this happens," Coleman said.
Williams said the home's host, who he didn't name, returned to the property in the evening because one-night rentals are red flags.
He said the host noticed too many people were on the property, approached a Cincinnati police officer down the street and asked for assistance breaking up the gathering.
Williams said the officer instructed the host to call 311.
"It was just as she was dialing 311 that when the shots started being fired and everyone rushed from the property," Williams said.
Police said parties aren't specifically illegal in the city, even if they're largely banned by the hosting platforms.
Lt. John Cunningham said police will respond to any complaint, however, including noise complaints and disturbances, and repeat offenders can be placed on a "chronic nuisance report" engaging multiple city agencies to review property use.
If a property is found to be consistently problematic, the landlord's ability to conduct business can be revoked.
Williams said he tries to balance the risk of renting to individuals who may want to use the property for a party with the need for people to have access to a home at short notice for people like young traveling professionals.
"We try to take great care and take extreme caution to make sure that young people aren't renting these places and having really wild parties," he said.
Police are still looking for the shooter, and are asking anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers at 513-352-3040.
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