Sacramento authorities are working a violent incident that took place Saturday night April 18 at Howe Community Park in the Arden-Arcade area as Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies were breaking up an unsanctioned gathering of several hundred people.
What Led to the Shooting
Deputies initially got calls about Howe Park around 6:30 Saturday evening after learning of individuals possibly carrying concealed weapons. Soon after, another report was received concerning a potential altercation breaking out inside the park.
Aerial units searched from above but could not confirm any ongoing fight. However, it became clear that hundreds of people had packed into the park in an unauthorized manner.
The Shooting Itself
Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies worked to disperse the crowd by setting up around the park's perimeter and using their vehicle PA systems instructing the crowd to vacate the area. About 15 minutes were spent for individuals to vacate.
As the crowd was being cleared that upwards of 20 gunshots cut through the air. The sudden gunfire sent the crowd running in all directions. Responding personnel wasted no time in identifying shooting victims.
Four Gunshot Victims
Altogether, four victims were identified as having gunshot wounds. The four individuals — comprising three men and one woman all reportedly in their 20s — were rushed read more to hospitals in the Sacramento area. Hospital staff noted that two of the four had injuries classified as immediate, one person had injuries of a moderate nature, and one sustained minor gunshot wounds. As of last report, no fatalities were reported and all four were stable.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District arrived on scene and assisted with medical triage the injured on location.
What Investigators Found
The primary shooting scene seemed to have happened near Cottage Way alongside the local Home Depot at the 2200 block of Howe Ave. Crime scene investigators recovered extra shell casings throughout the Cottage Way area. Bullet holes were discovered in the wrought iron perimeter fencing bordering the Home Depot store. This evidence suggested that a shooter had been aiming south from along Cottage Way targeting the Home Depot. That Home Depot location was secured under a brief lockdown while the scene was active. CSI investigators and detectives stayed at the location well into the night.
Suspect Information
Information relayed over police scanner frequencies revealed that a Kia connected to the shooting was pulled over in an area within Solano County. Four occupants were detained. Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies were en route to collect those detained to bring the suspects back for formal questioning. Footage analyzed by investigators made clear that the shooting involved two separate gunmen.