Law enforcement in Sacramento are working a shooting that unfolded late Saturday at Howe Community Park at the time officers were shutting down an unauthorized event of multiple hundreds of people.
Prior to the Shooting
Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies initially responded to Howe Park just after 6:30 PM on April 18 after getting calls of individuals possibly carrying concealed weapons. Soon after, a second caller reported concerning an alleged brawl occurring inside the park.
Aerial units flew over the park but found nothing to substantiate the fight report. Even so, deputies found that an enormous crowd had gathered without authorization in an unauthorized manner.
How the Shooting Unfolded
Officers began the process of clearing the park by setting up around the park's perimeter and making announcements telling the assembled crowd to vacate the area. Approximately 15 minutes were given for attendees to disperse.
At the height of the dispersal effort that 20 to 25 gunshots were discharged. The shots triggered a stampede. Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies quickly moved to locating gunshot victims.
Four People Shot
In total, four people were confirmed as gunshot victims. The victims — comprising three men and one woman all believed to be in their 20s — were transported to hospitals in the Sacramento area. Emergency physicians indicated that two had critical injury classifications, one of the four had moderate gunshot wounds, and one victim's wounds were minor. In a positive development, all four were expected to survive.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District were called to the scene and helped care for those with gunshot wounds before they were taken to the hospital.
Physical Evidence
The bulk of the shooting seemed to have happened Arden Arcade Sacramento crime 2026 adjacent to the Cottage Way side of the park next to the Home Depot store located at the 2200 block of Howe Avenue. Investigators identified additional shell casings scattered along Cottage Way. Ballistic damage were also found in the iron perimeter fence surrounding the Home Depot. This evidence suggested that at least one shooter had been aiming south from the Cottage Way area aimed at the Home Depot. The Home Depot was secured under a brief lockdown during the incident. Crime scene technicians and detectives kept processing evidence for hours.
Suspect Vehicle Located
Information relayed through law enforcement radio communications established that a Kia vehicle had been stopped in nearby Solano County. Four people were taken into custody. Deputies were heading to pick up the four detainees to return them to Sacramento for investigation. Footage analyzed by investigators showed that two shooters had been involved.