Police said gunfire involving multiple people erupted at a Baer Street rental where more than 50 people reportedly gathered.
HOUSTON, TX — A 23-year-old man was killed and a 19-year-old man was wounded when gunfire broke out early Saturday at a short-term rental being used for a large house party in Houston, according to police.
Houston police responded shortly before 1 a.m. Oct. 24 to the 3100 block of Baer Street after receiving a report of an assault in progress. Precinct 6 deputy constables were already at the property and had detained several people who investigators believed could have information about what happened. Police said a disturbance inside the home escalated into an exchange of gunfire involving multiple people, with additional shots fired outside.
Officers found a 23-year-old man with gunshot wounds at the property. He was pronounced dead at the scene. His family identified him to KPRC as Elthanius Toliver. Authorities had not announced an arrest in connection with his death as of the latest reports, and investigators had not publicly identified a suspected shooter or established what led to the confrontation.
While officers were working at the house, police learned that a 19-year-old man connected to the same gathering had arrived at a nearby hospital with gunshot wounds to his arm and leg. Police said his injuries were not considered life-threatening. Investigators were working to determine how many people fired weapons during the confrontation and the sequence of events inside and outside the home.
The property had been rented for a party, police said. Investigators estimated that more than 50 people may have been inside. Sgt. Clint Ponder of the Houston Police Department said preliminary social media images showed a large crowd at the house. The available images indicated that more people were inside than investigators believed should have been there.
The shooting also drew attention to Houston’s rules for short-term rental properties. KPRC reported that the Baer Street property was registered with the city. Houston requires short-term rental operators to register properties, provide emergency contact information and comply with applicable regulations. City rules also require operators to provide information related to maximum permitted occupancy and prohibit advertising short-term rentals as party spaces.
Houston’s Administration and Regulatory Affairs Department says short-term rentals are dwelling units, or portions of dwelling units, offered for stays of fewer than 30 consecutive days. Hosts must obtain a city-issued registration number after completing the registration process. Beginning Jan. 1, 2027, the city says it plans to notify rental platforms to remove listings that lack a certificate of registration.
Investigators have not said whether any rental regulation was violated at the Baer Street property. The existence of a large gathering does not by itself establish that the owner or operator violated city rules, and police have not publicly linked the shooting to any alleged registration or regulatory violation. The circumstances surrounding the exchange of gunfire remain under investigation.
Toliver’s father, also named Elthanius Toliver, spoke publicly after his son’s death and urged young people to be cautious about attending large parties. Investigators, meanwhile, have continued seeking information from people who were at the gathering. Police have not announced a motive, identified the wounded man or said whether any of the people initially detained at the scene are considered suspects.
The Houston Police Department’s homicide division is handling the investigation. No arrests had been announced in the latest available reports, and authorities continued working to determine who fired the shots and what triggered the confrontation.
Author note: Last updated Oct. 26, 2026.