Sacramento County Sheriff's Office investigators are probing a gun violence incident that broke out Saturday night April 18 at Howe Community Park as authorities were dispersing an unlawful assembly of an estimated several hundred individuals.
Prior to the Shooting
Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies were first called to Howe Community Park around 6:30 PM on April 18 after receiving reports of individuals who may have had concealed firearms. After that, additional information came in concerning a reported physical confrontation breaking out near the park.
Aerial units searched from above but could not confirm any ongoing fight. Nevertheless, it was evident that an enormous crowd had packed into the park without official sanction.
The Dispersal and Shooting
Responding units moved to clear the area by positioning themselves around the crowd and broadcasting over loudspeakers instructing the hundreds present to disperse at once. About 15 minutes were allowed for attendees more info to disperse.
It was during this dispersal that 20 to 25 rounds of ammunition were fired. The rapid succession of shots triggered a stampede. Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies immediately began searching for victims.
Four Gunshot Victims
Altogether, four gunshot victims were discovered with shooting injuries. The victims — made up of one woman and three men all reportedly in their 20s — were transported to nearby hospitals. Medical personnel reported that two had critical injury classifications, one of the four had moderate gunshot wounds, and one suffered minor injuries. As of last report, no fatalities were reported and all four were stable.
Metro Fire Sacramento also responded and helped care for those who had been shot at the park.
What Investigators Found
The main crime scene seemed to have occurred adjacent to the Cottage Way corridor alongside the Home Depot located at the 2200 block of Howe Avenue. Investigators found more spent casings scattered along Cottage Way. Bullet holes were noted in the wrought iron perimeter fencing alongside the Home Depot store. These findings confirmed that at least one of the shooters had been aiming south from Cottage Way targeting the Home Depot store. The store itself was placed on lockdown during the incident. Crime scene technicians and detectives remained on scene through the early morning hours.
Suspects Detained
Reports confirmed over scanner radio traffic confirmed that a suspect Kia had been detained in Solano County. Four suspects were held for questioning. Sacramento law enforcement were en route to collect those detained to pick up those detained for formal questioning. Footage analyzed by investigators revealed that two individuals had fired weapons.