Family staying at Airbnb below Pittsburgh mass shooting left an hour before shots fired

PITTSBURGH — A family staying at an Airbnb made the decision to leave late at night - a decision that may have saved their lives.

The family left their rental around 11 p.m. Saturday night because of a loud underage drinking party in the unit above. About 200 people were reported to be at the party.

Around an hour later, shots rang out at that party, killing two juveniles and hitting eight others. Five people were injured while escaping the gunfire and one person was hurt when their car was shot at.

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The family went back to the site Sunday morning to get their belongings. The mom told Channel 11 she had a bad feeling about staying overnight and was concerned for their safety.

“Since I don’t operate the unit upstairs, it’s a completely separate entity, there’s nothing I can legally do about what was going on upstairs. There’s no way I could’ve stopped it,” the downstairs host, Stephen Long, said.

Long showed our crew the bullet holes by the beds that the family would’ve slept in. He said he’s grateful the family stayed in a hotel Saturday night.

Long also said the police kicked in the front door and busted down another door in the bedroom, but he understands they have a job to do.

“There is damage to my unit but the damage is the least of my concern. It’s the victims in the families right now that are suffering right now,” Long said.

Pittsburgh Mass Shooting: 8:30 a.m. Update: 11 shot, 2 juveniles dead at party in Airbnb Pittsburgh Mass Shooting: 8:30 a.m. Update: 11 shot, 2 juveniles dead at party in Airbnb

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