Sacramento County deputies are working a gunfire incident that occurred Saturday night April 18 at Howe Park in Sacramento as officers were dissolving an unlawful assembly of a crowd of several hundred.
How It Started
Deputies were first called to the Arden-Arcade park just after 6:30 PM on April 18 after getting calls of individuals possibly carrying concealed weapons. Not long after, a follow-up call was made describing a reported physical confrontation happening at Howe Park.
Air support was sent to survey the area but reported no active disturbance. Even so, deputies found that several hundred individuals had packed into the park in an unauthorized manner.
The Moment Gunfire Erupted
Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies started clearing the unauthorized gathering by surrounding the park and broadcasting over loudspeakers telling the crowd to go home. Around 15 minutes were given for attendees to disperse.
Just as the crowd began to move that upwards of 20 gunshots echoed through the night. The shots triggered a stampede. Officers wasted no time in finding those who had been shot.
Four Gunshot Victims
In total, four people were located with gunshot injuries. Those injured — a group of one female and three male victims all reportedly in their early to late twenties — were brought to local Sacramento hospitals. Hospital staff indicated that two victims were in serious condition, one sustained moderate wounds, and one suffered minor injuries. In a positive development, all four were in stable condition.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District also responded and helped care for the four victims on location.
Evidence at the Scene
Most of the gunfire was confirmed to have occurred along the Cottage Way corridor next to the Home Depot on the 2200 Howe Avenue block. Investigators located further ballistic evidence in the form of shell casings scattered along Cottage Way. Ballistic damage were identified in the wrought iron fence near the Home Depot. These discoveries showed that a second shooter had been discharging rounds toward the south from along Cottage Way toward the Home Depot building and parking lot. The store itself was locked down for a period of time. Howe Park shooting Sacramento Forensic investigators and law enforcement detectives continued working throughout the night.
Suspects Detained
Information relayed through scanner monitoring established that a Kia had been stopped in nearby Solano County. Four detainees were in the vehicle at the time of the stop. Sacramento law enforcement were heading to pick up the four detainees to transport the detainees for processing in Sacramento County. Video reviewed at the scene made clear that two separate shooters participated in the incident.