City extends gun violence state of emergency days after five were shot at Airbnb owned by city fireman

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The City of Rochester is extending – once again – a state of emergency.

This first went into effect under former Mayor Lovely Warren in November 2021 when the city was nearing a record-number of homicides.

And it comes two days after five were shot, one fatally, at a home on Atlantic Avenue and Illinois Street. It was rented out as an Airbnb by a group filming a music video in honor of a man killed in 2019. The home is owned by a Rochester Fire Department member, according to a city spokesperson. News10NBC has been unable to reach him.

That homeowner has now been assessed 10 nuisance points because of the shooting. If he accrues two more, he won’t be allowed to rent out property for a year, according to Corporation Counsel Linda Kingsley.

RELATED: ‘You took my son’: Mom of Rochester murder victim speaks out

Under the state of emergency, the City has added patrols to crime hotspots and has been working with other law enforcement agencies in an effort to crack down on violence. The proclamation also allows the City to go assess nuisance points against problematic business owners and properties, like corner store associated with drug sales.

Mayor Malik Evans renewed the proclamation in July and has been extending it monthly. Three hundred and thirty-nine people have been shot this year. Seventy-six have been killed.

The proclamation runs through Jan. 14, 2023.

Airbnb sent News10NBC the following statement:

“We condemn this tragic gun violence and share the Rochester community’s shock. Our hearts go out to all those affected, including loved ones and injured victims. We ban parties and “party houses,” and our specialized Safety team has taken initial action to remove the booking guest from the platform and deactivate the listing. We are working with the Rochester Police Department to support their investigation to bring those responsible to justice.”

Additional Background regarding our anti-party efforts

We deploy a number of measures and resources to promote safe and responsible travel on Airbnb and enforce our ban on unauthorized, disruptive parties, including:

• The codification of our global party ban earlier this year
• The launch of reservation screening technology, which blocks certain bookings that show an increased risk for disruptive parties and property damage
• Deploying heightened rules and technologies aimed at helping to stop unauthorized parties over New Year’s Eve
• Our Neighborhood Support Line for neighbors to speak directly to us about any urgent concerns, and our 24-hour safety line for Hosts and guests to quickly reach our Safety team for support during an active stay
• A free noise sensor offer for Hosts in partnership with property tech company Minut
• Tips for Hosts on preventing parties in their listing.