Arrest made in deadly Fort Lauderdale Airbnb shooting
Fort Lauderdale police said Larry Smith, 19, was taken into custody on Sunday during a traffic stop after officers learned he had an active warrant for second-degree murder in the May 19 death of Myrah Zeigler.
The shooting happened around 4:30 a.m. in just off SW 8 Avenue and SW 16 Street, according to the incident report.. A group of adults had gathered at the home when a disturbance escalated into a physical fight. During the confrontation, a man pulled out a handgun and shot Zeigler.
When the first responders arrived, they found her lying in the roadway with a gunshot wound. She was rushed to Broward Health Medical Center where she died.
Police presence preceded shooting, witnesses say
According to those living nearby, officers had already been to the home due to reports of a loud dispute. One neighbor said they overheard threats being made just minutes before shots were fired.
"People here, but in the house, I did hear, 'I'm going to shoot you. I'm gonna shoot you'," one man told CBS News Miami at the time. "So, it sounded like there was a girl confronting a guy about dating a friend or something like that. So it was just something that sounded like it was something simple."
"I would say about 10 minutes later, I hear shots, then helicopters start flying around, cops going everywhere," he added.
Airbnb issues statement following incident
Following the shooting, Airbnb released a statement addressing the tragedy:
"Airbnb bans parties, and we condemn this senseless act of gun violence. We suspended the account of the guest who booked this reservation while we look into the situation further, and we stand ready to assist law enforcement with their investigation."
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