Officials in Sacramento County are examining a violent incident that broke out Saturday night April 18 at the Howe Community Park area while officers were clearing a large unauthorized gathering of click here several hundred people.
What Led to the Shooting
Officers from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office initially got calls about Howe Community Park at approximately 6:30 Saturday evening after obtaining information of subjects reportedly carrying hidden weapons. After that, a second caller reported mentioning a possible fight unfolding at the location.
Air support searched from above but was unable to locate the reported altercation. Even so, deputies found that a crowd of several hundred had come together at the location without official sanction.
When the Shots Rang Out
Responding units set about removing people from the park by positioning themselves around the crowd and issuing commands over loudspeakers commanding the crowd to clear out. Nearly 15 minutes were allowed for attendees to disperse.
At the height of the dispersal effort that 20 to 25 gunshots cut through the air. The sudden gunfire sparked chaos as hundreds ran. Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies immediately began identifying shooting victims.
Four Gunshot Victims
Ultimately, four victims were discovered with shooting injuries. The shooting victims — made up of one woman and three men each apparently in their early to late twenties — were transported to area medical facilities. Medical teams confirmed that two were treated for serious injuries, one sustained moderate wounds, and one had injuries classified as minor. Thankfully, each of the four victims was stable.
Sacramento Metro Fire assisted at the location and helped care for those with gunshot wounds at the scene.
Crime Scene Evidence
The center of the incident seemed to have unfolded near Cottage Way alongside the local Home Depot located at the 2200 block of Howe Avenue. Investigators located more spent casings scattered along Cottage Way. Projectile impacts were observed in the wrought iron perimeter fencing alongside the Home Depot. These findings suggested that a second shooter had been firing southward from Cottage Way targeting the Home Depot store. That Home Depot location was secured under a brief lockdown while law enforcement worked the area. Crime scene technicians and detectives kept processing evidence for hours.
Arrests Made
Information relayed over police scanner frequencies revealed that a vehicle identified as a Kia was pulled over in Solano County. Four suspects were taken into custody. Sacramento law enforcement were en route to collect those detained to collect the individuals for processing in Sacramento County. Surveillance footage made clear that two separate shooters participated in the incident.