Five people died in a Halloween party shooting at an Airbnb in Orinda, California. More than 100 people turned up for the event, which had been previously advertised on social media as an “Airbnb mansion party.” As the media demands new information about the shooting, the authorities say that they have no updates at this time.
Orinda police officers were called to the scene around 9:15 p.m. by neighbors who complained about a loud party. When the officers arrived at the house, three people were already dead and many others were wounded. Two victims died later at the hospital.
What We Know So Far
All the victims killed in the massacre were from California. They were identified as Oshiana Tompkins of Vallejo and Hercules, Tiyon Farley of Antioch, Omar Taylor of Pittsburg, Ramon Hill Jr. of San Francisco and Oakland, and Javin County of Sausalito and Richmond. Numerous other victims were taken to hospitals in the area, and some even got there on their own, according to the official statement. The victims suffered from gunshot wounds and injuries sustained while running away from the scene of the crime.
The authorities also stated that a number of law enforcement agencies from the area provided assistance during both the initial response and the ongoing investigation. Two weapons were found at the scene of the massacre and the sheriff’s office said that they are currently being analyzed to determine if they were used in the crime. As time passed, the media grew more and more determined to find new information about the massacre, but the authorities kept their updates at a minimum, with no details about the suspects or the total number of people injured.
Can Violence Be Prevented?
This October, US movie theaters banned costumes, masks and face painting at screenings of Joker, the new Batman movie. Cinema chains in the US have resorted to this preventive action following concerns expressed by the families of those involved in a 2012 mass shooting that took place during the screening of The Dark Knight Rises, another famous Batman movie. AMC theaters announced their customers that they want to be cautious in order to protect their guests against anything that might make them feel uncomfortable while watching the movie.
“The safety of our guests and associates is AMC’s top priority. Working with law enforcement, AMC has a number of safety and security protocols in place at all of its theatres. To help ensure that safety, we do not discuss specifics,” AMC stated. The Landmark Theaters cinema chain followed AMC’s decision and issued its own ban on costumes and masks during the screenings.
The new Batman movie has already made a worldwide splash due to the dark story of a failing clown that becomes both a serial killer and a sinister hero. There are voices who criticize the film for its violence, especially after a statement made by a Texas law enforcement agency working with the FBI. The agency stated that it had uncovered “disturbing and very specific chatter in the dark web” concerning possible plans for a mass shooting on Joker’s release. Even though the FBI announced that “there are no known specific credible threats,” US movie theaters decided to take preventive measures.
Gun Violence and Gun Law Reform
With cinema chains in the US taking action on their own, it seems that gun violence is one of the most pressing issues today. The families of those involved in the 2012 mass shooting that took place during the screening of The Dark Knight Rises were the first to voice their concerns and set the wheels in motion. They wrote to Warner Bros criticizing Joker for its depiction of gun violence and asking the studios to pull out financing from all politicians who don’t back the gun law reform.
The Halloween party shooting is a tragedy of inconceivable severity, as five young men and women lost their lives and many others were injured. Policymakers may need to address the issue, as the US has the most casual laws of any developed country when it comes to weapons. Recent studies also state that there is compelling evidence of specific laws being associated with a decrease in the rate of deaths associated with gun violence.
