CAPE CORAL, Fla. —
A Halloween party promoted on social media at an Airbnb in Cape Coral ended with hundreds of teens reportedly fleeing the scene as police responded to a disturbance on Friday.
“I wasn’t sure if it was some kind of mass shooting. I know that sounds extreme, but with the level of screams that I heard and how fast these kids were flooding, I thought it was something more serious,” said Sabrina Winn, a Cape Coral resident who witnessed the chaotic scene.
Neighbors reported seeing teens leaving the party in various ways, including on foot, by car, and even on an electric scooter.
“We were making sure that these kids who were obviously underage and obviously doing substances based on the drinks that they were holding in their hands, they were safe getting into their cars,” Winn said. “I was heartbroken for the parents who likely didn’t know what their kids were doing.”
The party, held at a home near Northwest 17th Avenue and Northwest 23rd Street, was reportedly a pay-to-attend Halloween bash promoted on social media. The house had been rented through Airbnb.
Sarah Zrout, another neighbor, observed the festivities from her backyard. “Then they were jumping off the roof into their pool. And just a lot of speeding music,” Zrout said.
She noted that about 40 cars were parked across the canal behind her yard. “I was worried about is that they might drive into the canal. Because that would have been a bigger issue. But no, I mean, people are loud. They’re fun. They rented it,” Zrout said.
Neighbors also reported that the partygoers broke a fence while fleeing the scene. Although the fence was repaired the next day, visible damage remains.
Cape Coral police confirmed they responded to the disturbance, but by the time they arrived, the crowd had already dispersed. Attempts to contact the property owners were unsuccessful.
DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.