The incident took place around 12:15 a.m. Sunday at a rental property approximately 15 miles northwest of Akron. According to Bath Township Police Chief Vito Sinopoli, the scene was chaotic, with partygoers fleeing as first responders arrived to perform life-saving measures.
Investigation Underway
Chief Sinopoli confirmed that nine people suffered injuries, though it remains unclear if all nine were struck by gunfire. The chief noted at a news conference that one person’s leg injury may have been caused by a fall as people scrambled to escape. The victims include a mix of juveniles and adults, and the seriousness of their injuries has not been fully disclosed.
“The Bath Township community experienced a tragic and senseless act of violence early this morning,” said Chief Sinopoli.
Police have not announced any arrests and are still investigating what sparked the shooting and how many individuals fired weapons.
Rental Home Violation
Adding a layer of complexity to the incident, Chief Sinopoli stated that the large home had been rented out via Airbnb. This is reportedly not permitted under local zoning ordinances, which prohibit short-term home rentals in the area. Most of the people attending the party were under the age of 18, drawn by posts advertising the event on social media.
While short-term rentals are considered a zoning violation rather than a crime, the Chief spoke with the property owner about the incident and the local prohibition. He also noted that a similar shooting incident occurred at another short-term rental in Bath Township in 2017.
“It’s pretty much an indicator that no community is immune from violence, and this happened to be in Bath Township again unfortunately,” Sinopoli stated.
The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to identify the shooter(s) and determine the sequence of events that led to the violence.