SAN ANTONIO — A standoff ended peacefully in northwest San Antonio hours after a man was found shot dead across the street from an Airbnb that police say was hosting a house party with dozens of attendees.
SAPD was called to the 4600 block of Hawthorn Woods in the Woods of Shavano area not far from Lockhill Selma Road around 3 a.m. for reports of a shooting in progress. Officers say a party was taking place at a rental property when they received reports of multiple shots fired at the location.
When police arrived they found the man in his 20s fatally shot and lying on a driveway. He has been identified as Jordan Benjamin Burleson, 24.
Watch the full update from police:
According to authorities, one person from inside the house party, which was being attended by 30 to 40 people, went outside as a silver Dodge Charger with an unknown number of people inside drove up to the home. That's when someone from inside the Charger fired off multiple rounds, hitting the victim.
Witnesses told officers they heard between 10 and 15 gunshots, went outside and found their friend, and then ran back inside the house. The suspects drove off following the shooting. One of the bullets impacted the tail light of a vehicle in the driveway. There were no reports of anyone else being shot.
When SAPD and SWAT arrived, they didn't know if the people inside the home were possible suspects or just witnesses. Police believe they might have been frightened by the shooting, but it remains unclear why they went back inside the home. After about two more hours, about 10 to 15 people came out of the Airbnb and were detained by police for questioning.
District 8 San Antonio City Councilman Manny Pelaez said he's worked with City Hall on clamping down on short rental properties that host parties, which can potentially invite drugs and violence. Pelaez spoke with a woman on scene wearing bloodstained-covered shirt.
The woman who attended the house party said she knew the victim and attempted to save him.
“As sad as I am about this, I’m equally furious that this is something that my neighborhood has had to go through. That is alarming enough to warrant us to take this more seriously than we ever have before."
One man lives behind the home where the victim was discovered. He chose to remain anonymous but said many people have had an issue with the home acting as an Airbnb for awhile.
“You hear a lot of people in the neighborhood, you know, we just need to get rid of that," The neighbor said. "We don’t need that in our neighborhood.”
All of those are cooperating with police, SAPD said, adding the incident was an isolated one.
However, KENS 5 learned from a spokesperson with the city, the short term rental permit for the home had expired in April. It had been in place since 2021 but the homeowners failed to renew it. The city has cited the homeowners.
Airbnb, which has banned parties at its properties since August 2020, said in a statement that it deactivated the listed home and "removed guest accounts from the platform as investigations continue."
“Our hearts go out to the victim’s loved ones during this difficult time," the company went on to say. "We condemn this gun violence and we stand ready to assist the San Antonio Police Department with their investigations."