Law enforcement in Sacramento are probing a gunfire incident that occurred Saturday night April 18 at the Howe Community Park area at the moment law enforcement were dispersing an unauthorized event of hundreds of attendees.
What Led to the Shooting
Officers from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office were first called to the park around 6:30 PM after being notified of individuals possibly carrying concealed weapons. Soon after, a follow-up call was made mentioning a possible fight happening inside the park.
A sheriff's airship was sent to survey the area but could not confirm any ongoing fight. However, authorities discovered that a massive group had gathered without authorization without permission.
When the Shots Rang Out
Officers started clearing the unauthorized gathering by positioning themselves around the crowd and issuing commands over website loudspeakers instructing those gathered to go home. Approximately 15 minutes were allotted for attendees to disperse.
While deputies worked to disperse the gathering that 20 to 25 gunshots echoed through the night. The shots caused mass panic. Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies quickly moved to identifying shooting victims.
Those Who Were Hit
Ultimately, four individuals were identified as having gunshot wounds. The shooting victims — a group of one female and three male victims all reportedly in their early to late twenties — were brought to nearby hospitals. Doctors and nurses reported that two of the four had injuries classified as immediate, one of the four had moderate gunshot wounds, and one victim's wounds were minor. Fortunately, all four were expected to survive.
Sacramento fire crews also responded and aided in treating those with gunshot wounds prior to hospital transport.
Physical Evidence
The primary shooting scene was determined to have been concentrated adjacent to the Cottage Way corridor close to the local Home Depot on the 2200 Howe Avenue block. Law enforcement investigators recovered additional shell casings scattered along Cottage Way. Bullet holes were observed in the iron fence adjacent to the nearby Home Depot. These findings indicated that at least one shooter had been aiming south from the Cottage Way area aimed at the Home Depot building and parking lot. The Home Depot was secured under a brief lockdown while the scene was active. Crime scene personnel kept processing evidence throughout the night.
Arrests Made
Intelligence received through law enforcement radio communications indicated that a Kia connected to the shooting was contacted by law enforcement in an area within Solano County. Four occupants were in the vehicle at the time of the stop. Sacramento law enforcement were dispatched to Solano County to transport the detainees for investigation. Video that was reviewed made clear that there were two gunmen.