Sacramento County Sheriff's Office investigators are examining a gun violence incident that broke out late Saturday at Howe Community Park in the Arden-Arcade area as Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies were dispersing a large unauthorized gathering of a crowd of several hundred.
What Led to the Shooting
Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies initially got calls about the park at about 6:30 PM on April 18 after obtaining information of persons possibly in possession of concealed weapons. Soon after, a follow-up call was made mentioning a possible fight taking place at the location.
A law enforcement helicopter flew over the park but found nothing to substantiate the fight report. Nevertheless, it was evident that hundreds of people had congregated at Howe Park without authorization.
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 directing the crowd to disperse at once. About 15 minutes were provided for individuals to vacate.
Just as the crowd began to move that between 20 and 25 rounds rang out. The shots sent the crowd running in all directions. Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies swiftly started locating gunshot victims.
Four Victims Hospitalized
Altogether, four gunshot victims were confirmed as gunshot victims. The victims — including a female and three males all reportedly in their early to late twenties — were rushed to area medical facilities. Medical teams reported that two victims were in serious condition, one had moderate injuries, and one had injuries classified as minor. In a positive development, no fatalities were reported and all four were stable.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire Department more info also responded and helped care for those who had been shot on location.
Physical Evidence
Most of the gunfire appears to have been concentrated on the Cottage Way side of the park close to the Home Depot on the 2200 block of Howe Avenue. Detectives found more spent casings throughout the Cottage Way area. Projectile impacts were noted in the iron fence alongside the Home Depot. This evidence suggested that a shooter had been discharging rounds toward the south from along Cottage Way in the direction of the Home Depot. The store itself was temporarily locked down for a period of time. Forensic investigators and law enforcement detectives stayed at the location throughout the night.
Suspects Detained
Reports confirmed through scanner monitoring showed that a Kia was contacted by law enforcement in Solano County. Four individuals were taken into custody. Sacramento law enforcement were en route to collect those detained to bring the suspects back for processing in Sacramento County. Video reviewed at the scene revealed that two individuals had fired weapons.