Police recovered several firearms after two teenagers were killed during a gathering at a Washington Avenue property used for short-term stays.
LORAIN, Ohio — A short-term rental where two teenagers were fatally shot early Sunday became the center of a continuing police investigation as detectives examined firearms and other evidence recovered after a gathering turned violent.
The shooting happened shortly before 3 a.m. in the 700 block of Washington Avenue. Lorain police said an argument during a gathering escalated into an altercation and gunfire. Officers arriving at the property found an 18-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy with gunshot wounds. Both were pronounced dead at the scene despite receiving medical attention.
Police arrested Alexander Gibbons, 19, at the scene. He is charged with felonious assault, using weapons while intoxicated and discharge of firearms on or near prohibited premises. Gibbons was being held in the Lorain County Jail and was scheduled for arraignment Monday in Lorain Municipal Court. Police said additional charges may be filed as investigators continue reviewing the case.
The investigation extends beyond a single location inside the house. Police said shots were fired in the residence and on an exterior staircase. Detectives recovered several firearms, shell casings and additional physical evidence. Authorities have not publicly identified which weapon or weapons were responsible for the fatal injuries, nor have they released a full account of who was carrying or firing the recovered guns.
The use of the Washington Avenue property as a short-term rental has also become part of the public focus surrounding the shooting. Reporting from the scene showed short-term rental instructions posted at the home, and neighbors said guests had stayed at the property before. Local reporting found that short-term rentals are allowed in Lorain but owners are required to be licensed by the city.
As of the latest reporting, the property’s licensing status had not been publicly confirmed. Local media had asked the city to determine whether the owner was properly registered. No finding that the property violated Lorain’s short-term rental requirements had been announced, and authorities have not said that its rental status caused or contributed to the shooting.
The property owner said in a statement provided to local media that the owner was cooperating fully with law enforcement. The owner declined further comment out of respect for those involved. Police have not identified the owner as a suspect or announced allegations against the property’s operator in connection with the violence.
Investigators have described the shooting as arising from a gathering where an argument escalated, but several important details remain unresolved publicly. Police have not said how many people were at the property, what prompted the original dispute or whether more than one person fired a weapon. The victims’ names also had not been released as of Monday morning.
The deaths unsettled a residential area where neighbors said short-term guests had previously stayed without similar trouble. Police said their initial investigation indicated the shooting was isolated and that there was no ongoing threat to the public. Detectives continued collecting information about the people who attended the gathering and the events that led to the gunfire.
The criminal investigation and the questions surrounding the short-term rental are developing on separate tracks. Gibbons faces an initial court proceeding on the charges filed against him, while police continue examining evidence from the shooting. Separately, the publicly reported question of whether the property met local short-term rental licensing requirements remained unanswered.
Authorities had not announced additional charges or released the victims’ identities by Monday morning. The shooting remained under investigation as police worked to establish a fuller account of what occurred inside and around the Washington Avenue residence.
Author note: Last updated Aug. 17, 2026.