Law enforcement in Sacramento are examining a gunfire incident that broke out Saturday night April 18 at Howe Community Park in the Arden-Arcade area at the moment officers were dispersing an unsanctioned gathering of a crowd of several hundred.
Prior to the Shooting
Officers from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office first arrived at Howe Community Park just after 6:30 PM after being notified of people potentially armed with concealed firearms. Following that, a second caller reported describing a potential altercation unfolding at Howe Park.
An overhead unit searched from above but reported no active disturbance. Despite this, authorities discovered that hundreds of people had packed into the park in an unauthorized manner.
When the Shots Rang Out
Law enforcement personnel worked to disperse the crowd by surrounding the park and making announcements directing the crowd to disperse at once. Roughly 15 minutes were allotted for people to comply.
It was during this dispersal that 20 to 25 gunshots were discharged. The rapid succession of shots sent the crowd running in all directions. Law enforcement at once began finding those who had been shot.
Four Gunshot Victims
Altogether, four people were confirmed as gunshot victims. The four individuals — made up of one woman and three men each reported to be in their 20s — were rushed to hospitals in the Sacramento area. Medical personnel reported that two had critical injury classifications, one of the four had moderate gunshot wounds, and one victim's wounds were minor. According to authorities, each of the four victims was stable.
Metro Fire Sacramento provided support and provided medical assistance shooting victims at the park.
Physical Evidence
The primary shooting scene was determined to have unfolded along the Cottage Way side of the park alongside the Home Depot on the 2200 block of Howe Ave. Crime scene investigators found additional shell casings scattered along Cottage Way. Ballistic damage were noted in the metal fencing alongside the Home Depot store. The physical evidence showed that one of the gunmen had been shooting in a southerly direction from along Cottage Way aimed at the Home Depot. The store itself was secured under a brief lockdown for a period of time. Crime scene personnel continued working for hours.
Suspect Vehicle Located
Intelligence received through scanner monitoring indicated that a vehicle identified as a Kia had here been stopped in Solano County California. Four people were stopped and detained. Sheriff's units were traveling to Solano County to pick up those detained for investigation. Surveillance footage made clear that two individuals had fired weapons.