Neighbours recall screaming, running, sobbing after North York house party shooting
Young man was shot in the head at a house near Bayview and Steeles Sunday
A massive house party in North York descended into chaos after a young man was shot in the head early Sunday morning.
The shooting happened at a home on Glenelia Avenue in the Bayview Avenue and Steeles Road area just before 4:30 a.m.
Paramedics rushed the victim to hospital in life-threatening condition. Police had no update on the young man's condition on Monday morning.
Morrissey remembers the moment that the usual loud party noises turned into something else entirely.
"You heard probably five shots and then just the screaming, the screaming, the running, the car doors slamming, cars taking off and girls sobbing," said Morrissey. "It was just awful."
Morrissey says she and other neighbours had already made a number of calls to police about the noise from the party after cars crowded the residential street around midnight.
The police did attend the scene to tell the party goers to quiet down at around 2:30 a.m. — but neighbours say that the party was still very loud. About two hours later, it became violent.
"You started hearing not just loud music, loud voices, talking noises, you heard loud angry voices and then the gunshots," said Morrissey.
Police say their investigation into the shooting is ongoing and so far they have not identified any suspects.
Neighbours assumed it was another Airbnb rental
Neighbours thought that the party was likely hosted by Airbnb guests renting the house because they knew that the home was listed with the accommodation service.
Morrissey says that short-term renters had used it for parties in the past.
She tried to make Airbnb contact the owner of the property early Sunday morning, but they said they couldn't do that. However after the shooting, Morrissey says she received a letter from Airbnb saying that the house was not booked through their service that night.
"We've been after the city for a number of years to enact some bylaws," said Morrissey. "It's the whole Uber thing but in houses I guess."
Residents in the area have suggested bylaws to deal with short-term rentals, including restricting the number of people who can be in a short-term rental and the number of days they can stay.
They have also said it would be helpful if the owners of properties used for these rentals had to be listed with the city.
"There's just no accountability and it's very frustrating," said Morrissey.
The five-bedroom, two-storey house was advertised on Airbnb as a home that can "sleep 6-12 comfortably, even more can be added, with lots of rooms to move around."