Sacramento County deputies are probing a violent incident that occurred Saturday night April 18 at the Howe Community Park area while law enforcement were dissolving a large unauthorized gathering of multiple hundreds of people.
Background
Sacramento County law enforcement were first dispatched to Howe Park just after 6:30 in the evening after being notified of individuals who may have had concealed firearms. Shortly after, a second caller reported mentioning a potential altercation unfolding at Howe Park.
Air support flew over the park but came back with no confirmation of a fight. Regardless, deputies found that an enormous crowd had come together at the location without any permit or approval.
The Dispersal and Shooting
Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies started clearing the unauthorized gathering by positioning themselves around the crowd and using their vehicle PA systems commanding the crowd to leave immediately. Approximately 15 minutes were spent for people to comply.
It was during this dispersal that unauthorized gathering shooting Sacramento 20 to 25 gunshots echoed through the night. The shots caused mass panic. Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies at once began finding those who had been shot.
Four People Shot
By the time the scene was secured, four shooting victims were identified as having gunshot wounds. All four — comprising three men and one woman ranging in age through their in their 20s at the time of the incident — were taken to nearby hospitals. Medical teams indicated that two of the four had injuries classified as immediate, one victim's injuries were classified as moderate, and one had injuries classified as minor. Fortunately, no fatalities were reported and all four were stable.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District assisted at the location and provided medical assistance those with gunshot wounds at the scene.
Evidence at the Scene
The bulk of the shooting was confirmed to have occurred adjacent to Cottage Way adjacent to the local Home Depot at the 2200 block of Howe Avenue. Investigators discovered extra shell casings throughout the Cottage Way area. Bullet damage were discovered in the iron perimeter fence bordering the Home Depot. These discoveries suggested that a shooter had been aiming south from the Cottage Way area toward the Home Depot building and parking lot. That Home Depot location was locked down while the scene was active. Crime scene personnel remained on scene throughout the night.
Suspects Detained
Reports confirmed over police scanner frequencies revealed 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. Deputies were traveling to Solano County to bring the suspects back for formal questioning. Surveillance footage established that there were two gunmen.