Tragedy struck early on New Year's Eve when a large party in Houston's Third Ward became the scene of a violent shooting that left five people injured. According to Click2Houston, the incident took place at a rental property on Live Oak and Elgin, where over 100 partygoers were celebrating the arrival of a new year. The Houston Police Department arrived on the scene after midnight to find two victims, including a man who was shot in the back.
The Houston Fire Department moved quickly, transporting three people to trauma centers, with two victims reported to be in critical condition. As the aftermath unfolded, three more individuals arrived at nearby hospitals seeking treatment for gunshot wounds. According to a KHOU report, HPD officers found a woman who had been shot multiple times and a man with a gunshot wound, both hurried to the hospital with the expectation of survival. Another woman sustained a graze wound and was treated at the scene.
Investigators believe that the shooting transpired at an Airbnb turned makeshift event space for the night. When the police arrived, remnants of the celebration were still evident with fireworks smoldering in the driveway. However, HPD has been confronted with silence from witnesses – "Nobody's willing to cooperate and tell us exactly what happened or what occurred, or who the suspect was," HPD Lt. J.P. Horelica told KHOU. This lack of cooperation has further hampered the police's efforts to piece together the night's events.
The shooting occurred as a new Houston city ordinance regulating short-term rentals had taken effect. Under the ordinance, all short-term rental hosts are now required to register their properties, with the city set to delist noncompliant listings beginning April 1. The incident follows another shooting reported at a Third Ward short-term rental just days earlier, drawing attention to ongoing concerns about safety and enforcement as the city works to regulate these properties.
HPD is asking anyone with information about the shooting to contact Houston police or Crime Stoppers. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities continue to review the circumstances surrounding the incident.
