Sacramento County Sheriff's Office investigators are probing a gunfire incident that took place Saturday night April 18 at Howe Community Park at the moment authorities were breaking up an unauthorized event of several hundred people.
Prior to the Shooting
Law enforcement were first called to the park shortly before 6:30 Saturday evening after obtaining information of subjects reportedly carrying hidden weapons. Not long after, additional information came in describing a reported physical confrontation happening at Howe Park.
An overhead unit flew over the park but found nothing to substantiate the fight report. Despite this, it was apparent that a crowd of several hundred had come together at the location in an unauthorized manner.
When the Shots Rang Out
Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies worked to disperse the crowd by forming a perimeter and issuing commands over loudspeakers instructing attendees to leave immediately. About 15 minutes were given for individuals to vacate.
It was during this dispersal that 20 to 25 rounds of ammunition cut through the air. The rapid succession of shots sparked chaos as hundreds ran. Officers at once began searching for victims.
Four People Shot
When the dust settled, four gunshot victims were discovered with shooting injuries. The shooting victims — made up of one woman and three men each reported to be in their 20s — were taken to hospitals in the Sacramento area. Emergency physicians confirmed that two of the four had injuries classified as immediate, one victim's injuries were classified as moderate, and one suffered minor injuries. Thankfully, each of the four victims was stable.
Metro Fire Sacramento were called to the scene and helped triage the four victims at the scene.
Crime Scene Evidence
The bulk of the shooting was more info determined to have occurred on the Cottage Way side of the park adjacent to the local Home Depot situated at the 2200 block of Howe Ave. Detectives recovered additional spent rounds on Cottage Way. Bullet holes were discovered in the metal fencing surrounding the nearby Home Depot. These findings showed that at least one shooter had been shooting in a southerly direction from along Cottage Way targeting the Home Depot store. The store itself was put under lockdown while the scene was active. Crime scene technicians and detectives remained on scene throughout the night.
Arrests Made
Information relayed via scanner audio showed that a suspect Kia was pulled over in Solano County. Four suspects were detained. Sheriff's units were dispatched to Solano County to pick up those detained for processing in Sacramento County. Video that was reviewed confirmed that there were two gunmen.