PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Residents in a Phoenix neighborhood said they are still shaken after more than two dozen shots were fired outside a home near 56th Street and Thomas Road last weekend—a burst of rapid gunfire captured on a security camera.
Neighbors said the video recorded more than 30 gunshots from multiple guns and showed people taking cover in their vehicles as the shooting continued.
It’s also fueling a growing concern across the Valley: Neighbors worry large parties at short-term rentals are increasingly leading to violence.
“It’s more like a motel than an Airbnb”
Bill Haley said he moved to the area for the quiet streets and friendly faces.
“I’ve been here for almost 13 years,” Haley said.
But he said a different sound has become more common—and it has neighbors questioning what is happening in their community.
Last Sunday morning, just after midnight, Haley said gunfire rang out through the neighborhood.
“Then all of a sudden, I mean, is that fireworks or is that a full-on magazine of an automatic rifle?” Haley said.
Neighbors say the home where the shots were fired is not owner-occupied but used as a short-term rental.
“It’s more like a motel than an Airbnb,” one neighbor said.
The neighbor, who did not want to be identified, said there are several rental units at the property.
“There are four rental units in there, so there’s a lot of traffic and a lot of people in and out,” the neighbor said.
The listing appears on a short-term rental website, but neighbors claim it has been removed from Airbnb and Vrbo.
Another neighbor, who also asked not to be identified, said he was not home at the time of the shooting, but his son was sleeping in a room near where the gunfire erupted.
“I just can’t imagine this happening anywhere near us, but it was in our front yard and next door,” the neighbor said.
Haley said neighbors heard the party may have been advertised on Instagram.
“Why are we having these parties at an Airbnb or a Vrbo or whatever kind of a short-term rental this is?” Haley said.
In September 2023, the Phoenix City Council approved new regulations for short-term rentals, including a permitting system and tougher penalties for nuisance properties. But Haley said the violence shows the changes have not gone far enough.
“There’s got to be some form of regulation,” Haley said.
At the state level, a bill introduced in January would allow cities to impose additional restrictions—including the option to prohibit short-term rentals entirely. The measure is currently stalled in the Senate, awaiting the next session.
Meanwhile, neighbors near 56th Street and Thomas Road say they are planning a town hall meeting and have invited Phoenix City Council members to attend.
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