A teen is recovering from a non-life-threatening gunshot wound after gunfire broke out late last Friday at a birthday party held at a short-term rental in Little Elm, according to authorities. The teenager got to a hospital without waiting for first responders, while nearby residents were calling 911 about shots fired and teenagers running through surrounding streets. Police say most of the partygoers were Lewisville High School students, and the case remains under investigation.
Officers were dispatched around 11:30 p.m. after multiple 911 calls about gunfire and juveniles running near White Oak Drive and White Pine Drive, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Preliminary findings indicate the shooting started at a short-term rental that had been booked for a birthday party, where one teen was hit and later found to have a non-life-threatening injury. Town officials reminded residents that parties are already prohibited at short-term rentals and said they are reviewing how those rules are enforced in light of the incident.
Town rules and enforcement
Little Elm's short-term rental registration page states that rentals cannot be used as party venues and that the town can suspend or revoke a registration if violations occur, according to the Town of Little Elm. The guidelines require hosts to clearly ban party-venue use in their listings and give town staff tools to respond when a rental is blamed for disturbing the neighborhood.
Police response and next steps
The Little Elm Police Department said the Frisco Police Department, the Oak Point Police Department, and the Denton County Sheriff's Office all responded to assist at the scene, and investigators currently believe the shooting was an isolated incident, according to CBS News Texas. Detectives are asking anyone who has information or video of the party or the shooting to contact Little Elm police as they continue the investigation.
Local context
Large house parties in the area have turned violent before. A deadly shooting at a Little Elm party in October 2023 left a 17-year-old dead and led to increased scrutiny of such gatherings, according to reporting by FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth. Town leaders and residents are still wrestling with how to balance the growth of short-term rentals with neighborhood safety as Little Elm's registration rules are put to the test.
