Detectives say more than 100 people were at the short-term rental when gunfire broke out near the pool.
KISSIMMEE, Fla. — A 17-year-old Orlando boy died after he was shot during a house party at a short-term rental in Kissimmee early March 14, and investigators are still trying to identify the person who opened fire, according to the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities say the shooting happened during a large gathering at a home in the Veranda Palms subdivision off Shanti Drive. Deputies reached the property at 1:26 a.m. and found the teen, later identified as Qvarious Savion McCloud, lying near the pool with a gunshot wound. He was taken to Osceola Regional Hospital, where he later died. By Friday morning, detectives had released his name, said no arrest had been announced and publicly asked people at the party to come forward with witness accounts or video.
Investigators say the case began in the early hours of Saturday, March 14, when deputies were sent to the gated neighborhood after reports of a shooting at the rental home. When deputies arrived, they found McCloud near the swimming pool. The sheriff’s office said he had been attending a party at the property with other people. The timeline released by authorities remains narrow: deputies arrived at 1:26 a.m., McCloud was rushed to the hospital and later died from his injuries. Beyond that, detectives have said little about what happened in the minutes before the gunfire. They have not publicly described an argument, a fight or any other event that may have led up to the shooting. They also have not said how many shots were fired or where the suspected shooter was standing when the teen was hit. What is clear is that the gathering was large, late at night and already breaking apart by the time law enforcement got there.
Several news outlets, citing investigators, reported that more than 100 people had gathered at the rental home that night. Detectives have said many of the attendees were believed to be from Orange County, the county where McCloud lived. Authorities also said a large crowd scattered when deputies arrived, complicating efforts to quickly sort out who saw what. By the time the sheriff’s office publicly appealed for help, detectives were asking not only for witnesses but also for partygoers who may have recorded cellphone video. That detail suggests investigators believe some part of the event, or the moments just before or after the shooting, may have been captured on phones. The sheriff’s office has not described any suspect, vehicle or weapon, and it has not said whether deputies believe the shooter knew McCloud. As of the latest public reporting, no charges had been announced and no arrest had been made.
The shooting has also drawn attention to the setting: a short-term rental inside a gated subdivision built for vacation traffic and family stays. Airbnb, the platform identified in local reports, said disruptive parties are prohibited under company policy. In a statement carried by local media, the company said it removed the booking guest from the platform and suspended the property listing while the investigation continues. The company also said it would cooperate with the sheriff’s office. The case joins a pattern of public concern around large gatherings at vacation rentals, especially during school breaks and holiday travel periods, when homes meant for short stays can draw crowds far beyond what neighbors or hosts expect. Residents in the area raised questions after the shooting about how such a large gathering was able to form inside a gated community before police were called.
The investigation now appears focused on witness development and digital evidence. Detectives have asked anyone who was at the house, anyone who knows what happened in the early morning hours of March 14 and anyone with recorded video to contact the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office or Crimeline. A reward of up to $5,000 has been offered for information in the case. Law enforcement has not said whether the shooting is being treated as targeted, accidental or connected to any broader dispute. No court filing, arrest affidavit or charging document had been publicly tied to the case by Friday, leaving many of the central questions unresolved: who fired, what sparked the gunfire and whether more than one weapon was involved. The next major step is likely to come when detectives identify a suspect, make an arrest or release additional findings from witness interviews and forensic work at the home.
For McCloud’s family, the public search for information is happening alongside raw grief. His grandmother, Felicia McCloud, told local television reporters that he was loved and did not deserve to die this way. She said he had been getting ready to celebrate a birthday and graduate, and had talked about joining the Marines. Those details turned the case from a brief crime bulletin into a portrait of a teenager with plans that extended beyond one night in Kissimmee. Family members told reporters they rushed to the hospital and waited for updates on his condition. Felicia McCloud said the family wanted peace and justice and urged people who know what happened to speak. Her comments added a human weight to a case that, for now, still rests on a short official timeline, a large pool of unidentified partygoers and a scene that emptied fast after the gunfire.
As of Friday, March 20, no arrest had been publicly announced in McCloud’s killing, and detectives were still asking witnesses and party attendees to come forward as they work to identify the shooter and reconstruct what happened at the house party.
Author note: Last updated March 20, 2026.