Ohio Investigates: Deadly shooting near Airbnb party exposes Toledo's short-term rental problem

Описание: Andrew Price and Cole Lepkowski had just returned from planning their wedding in Michigan. They were excited, talking about their future, scribbling notes about who to invite to their Harbor Springs ceremony.

Three days later, on June 29, Cole was dead — shot in the head as the couple drove home from Taco Bell on their own quiet street.

"We weren't putting ourselves in harm's way," Andrew said. "We chose this home because it was safe, elderly neighbors, quiet street. There was no reason to think anything bad could happen."

But that Sunday night on Lincolnshire Boulevard, an out-of-control party at an unregistered Airbnb changed everything. Cars lined both sides of the street. An estimated 80 people filled a rental property. Gunshots rang out. Cole Lepkowski, 26, became an innocent victim of violence Andrew says never should have happened.

Three months later, the murder remains unsolved.

Toledo has a short-term rental registry designed to provide the city with basic information about which properties are being used for rentals and to establish a local point of contact when issues arise.

But the Airbnb where the party occurred was never registered with the city.

More from Ohio Investigates: https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/inv... --

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