Officials in Sacramento County are probing a gun violence incident that took place Saturday night April 18 at Howe Park in Sacramento as authorities were shutting down a large unauthorized gathering of several hundred people.
Before the Gunfire
Officers from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office initially got calls about Howe Community Park at approximately 6:30 PM on April 18 after being notified of subjects reportedly carrying hidden weapons. Shortly after, another report was received concerning an alleged brawl taking place inside the park.
An overhead unit flew over the park but found nothing to substantiate the fight report. However, it was apparent that an enormous crowd had come together at the location without official sanction.
The Shooting Itself
Deputies set about removing people from the park by forming a perimeter and broadcasting over loudspeakers ordering the crowd to leave immediately. Around 15 minutes were allotted for the crowd to leave.
While deputies worked to disperse the gathering that an estimated 20 to 25 shots were fired. The sudden gunfire sent the crowd running in all directions. Law enforcement at once began searching for victims.
Four Gunshot Victims
Altogether, four people were located with gunshot injuries. The victims — consisting of one woman and three men each apparently in their 20s — were airlifted or driven to local Sacramento hospitals. Medical teams reported that two victims were in serious condition, one had moderate injuries, and one person's injuries were considered minor. As of last report, no fatalities were reported and all four were stable.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire Department were called to the scene and helped care for those who had been shot before they were taken to the hospital.
Physical Evidence
The main crime scene was believed to have happened on Cottage Way alongside the Home Depot located at the 2200 block of Howe Ave. Investigators discovered more spent casings scattered along Cottage Way. Bullet holes were noted in the iron perimeter fence adjacent to the Home Depot store. These discoveries suggested that at least one of the shooters more info had been discharging rounds toward the south from the Cottage Way area toward the Home Depot store. The Home Depot was locked down during the incident. CSI investigators and detectives stayed at the location through the early morning hours.
Arrests Made
Information relayed over police scanner frequencies indicated that a vehicle identified as a Kia was intercepted in the Solano County area. Four suspects were stopped and detained. Sheriff's units were traveling to Solano County to pick up those detained for processing in Sacramento County. Footage analyzed by investigators made clear that two individuals had fired weapons.