Officials in Sacramento County are looking into a shooting that occurred Saturday night April 18 at Howe Community Park just as law enforcement were shutting down an unsanctioned gathering of several hundred people.
Prior to the Shooting
Deputies were first dispatched to the park shortly before 6:30 Saturday evening after getting calls of individuals who may have had concealed firearms. Shortly after, a second caller reported concerning a reported physical confrontation breaking out within the park grounds.
Air support scanned the area from the air but came back with no confirmation of a read more fight. Regardless, it was evident that hundreds of people had packed into the park without permission.
How the Shooting Unfolded
Law enforcement personnel worked to disperse the crowd by encircling the gathering and using their vehicle PA systems ordering the crowd to disperse at once. Approximately 15 minutes were spent for the gathering to break up.
It was during this dispersal that an estimated 20 to 25 shots were discharged. Gunfire sent the crowd running in all directions. Deputies at once began searching for victims.
Four Victims Hospitalized
In total, four gunshot victims were confirmed as gunshot victims. The shooting victims — a group of one female and three male victims all believed to be in their twenties — were airlifted or driven to Sacramento area hospitals. Emergency physicians confirmed that two had critical injury classifications, one victim's injuries were classified as moderate, and one had injuries classified as minor. Thankfully, all four were in stable condition.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire Department arrived on scene and helped care for those who had been shot at the park.
Evidence at the Scene
The main crime scene seemed to have happened near Cottage Way near the local Home Depot on the 2200 block of Howe Ave. CSI personnel recovered additional spent rounds along Cottage Way. Round impacts were noted in the metal fencing adjacent to the Home Depot. The physical evidence indicated that a shooter had been shooting in a southerly direction from Cottage Way aimed at the Home Depot. That Home Depot location was secured under a brief lockdown for a period of time. Crime scene technicians and detectives continued working through the early morning hours.
Suspect Vehicle Located
Details gathered via scanner audio revealed that a Kia vehicle was pulled over in Solano County. Four individuals were taken into custody. Sacramento law enforcement were en route to collect those detained to collect the individuals for formal questioning. Surveillance footage established that two individuals had fired weapons.