Ahead of the Fourth of July holiday weekend and early into the summer vacation season, a family who lost their son in a shooting at an Airbnb party two years ago hopes more can be done to prevent another tragedy.
SUNNYVALE -- Ahead of the Fourth of July holiday weekend and early into the summer vacation season, a family who lost their son in a shooting at an Airbnb party two years ago hopes more can be done to prevent another tragedy, and are filing a lawsuit against the company and the property owner.
His son was 18 years old when he was shot and later died from his injuries on the night of August 7, 2021. It is illegal to host an event at a short-term rental in Sunnyvale but someone booked the home where up to 200 people showed up, mostly minors drinking alcohol. "Airbnb bans parties, and we condemn the senseless gun violence that took place in Sunnyvale," the statement said two days after the shooting."Our dedicated Safety team is urgently working to support those impacted by this tragedy."
Melton says he believes Airbnb and other platforms have improved the process for booking short-term rentals since the shooting and the city properly handles the business. He pointed to a recent vote by the city council not to spend any additional money on enforcement because they believed the system is working. The City of Sunnyvale is also suing the property owner, like the family, but its lawsuit does not name Airbnb.
"I can see him everywhere, I can hear him talking to me. I talk to him just like I used to," said Zahra Elmenjaoui, Elhania's mother."It's really hard to bury your own son, at this age."
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