Airbnb bans 'party houses' after deadly shooting

Following a deadly shooting in the US state of California, Airbnb announced on Saturday that it is banning "party houses" and stepping up measures to enforce its ban on unauthorized parties.

CEO Brian Chesky said the San Francisco-based company will expand manual screenings of "high-risk reservations," which would likely include one-night reservations at large houses.

The company plans to not only crack down on guests who violate its ban on unauthorized parties, but also on hosts who allow their homes to host such events. Those who fail to comply with the policies will be removed from the site.

"We must do better, and we will. This is unacceptable," Chesky wrote.

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Deadly Halloween party

The move comes after a deadly shooting at an unauthorized Halloween party at an Airbnb rental in the San Francisco suburb of Orinda.

Five people died following the shooting, with three pronounced dead on the scene and two others dying at the hospital. The victims, who were all California residents, ranged in age from 19 to 29.

Orinda police described a "highly chaotic" scene when they arrived at the house, where over 100 people had gathered for the party. Police are still looking for a suspect in the shooting.

The event had been advertised on social media as a "mansion party" that was taking place at an Airbnb rental.

The owner of the home had suspected that the renter planned on throwing a party at the property, and reportedly reminded the renter that no parties were allowed.

Large-scale parties have long posed an issue for Airbnb, which has more than 6 million short-term rental property listings worldwide.

rs/kl (AP, AFP, dpa)

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