A house party at a Celina Airbnb that drew hundreds of teens Saturday night ended with gunshots and arrests.
Police Chief John Cullison said between 500 and 800 teenagers attended the gathering at a four-bedroom home on the 800 block of Choate Parkway near the Collin College – Celina Campus on March 21. One property owner, Kishore Karlapudi, told CBS News Texas the home had been rented through Airbnb to a group of six people for the weekend. He was unaware of plans for a party, and the rental agreement limits occupancy to no more than 20 people.
A social media post advertising the event drew the crowd, Cullison said. Officers responded to reports of a large gathering and arrested one teen for driving under the influence and another person on an active aggravated assault warrant out of Dallas County.
As the party broke up, officers heard multiple gunshots near the home. A search found no one injured.
Karlapudi visited the isolated property Saturday and was “shocked” to find renters had moved furniture and wall hangings, leaving the house damaged. He cited a broken bar countertop from people dancing on it as one example.
The home is part of an 18-acre, $7.6 million property listed by the Collin County Appraisal District. Karlapudi said it has been removed from rental listings for two weeks while repairs are underway.
“Scenes like these highlight the very real risks and dangers associated with large, unsupervised gatherings, especially when fueled through social media and potentially involving underage alcohol or substance abuse,” Cullison said in a social media post about the incident.
“As both your Chief of Police and a parent, I strongly encourage parents in our community to use this incident as a catalyst for having open and direct conversations with their sons and daughters about personal responsibility, wise decision-making, and the dangers that can quickly intensify in such environments.
… The Celina Police Department will continue to respond proactively when similar incidents occur, and we will never hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action when necessary.”
Anyone with information about criminal activity at the gathering is asked to call the Celina Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Unit at 972-382-2121.
“Thank you for your cooperation and partnership as we work together to safeguard our teens and young adults and the entire Celina community,” Cullison said.
