Sacramento County deputies are examining a gun violence incident that unfolded late Saturday at Howe Community Park in the Arden-Arcade area while authorities were breaking up a large unsanctioned party of multiple hundreds of people.
What Led to the Shooting
Officers from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office were first dispatched to Howe Community Park at approximately 6:30 PM on April 18 after obtaining information of individuals possibly carrying concealed weapons. Not long after, a second call came in concerning an alleged brawl happening inside the park.
A law enforcement helicopter flew over the park but found nothing to substantiate the fight report. Nevertheless, it became Sacramento County Sheriff shooting investigation clear that a massive group had packed into the park without any permit or approval.
When the Shots Rang Out
Deputies started clearing the unauthorized gathering by surrounding the park and announcing over their public address systems telling attendees to vacate the area. Approximately 15 minutes were provided for the gathering to break up.
While deputies worked to disperse the gathering that 20 to 25 gunshots were fired. Gunfire sparked chaos as hundreds ran. Officers swiftly started locating gunshot victims.
Four Gunshot Victims
In total, four people were found to have been shot. The shooting victims — consisting of one woman and three men each reported to be in their 20s at the time of the incident — were rushed to hospitals in the Sacramento area. Medical teams noted that two were treated for serious injuries, one victim's injuries were classified as moderate, and one victim's wounds were minor. Fortunately, all four victims survived and were stable.
Metro Fire Sacramento assisted at the location and aided in treating the four victims at the park.
Evidence at the Scene
Most of the gunfire seemed to have occurred on the Cottage Way side of the park near the Home Depot store on the 2200 block of Howe Avenue. Law enforcement investigators identified more spent casings throughout the Cottage Way area. Bullet damage were also found in the wrought iron fence alongside the Home Depot. This ballistic evidence pointed to that a second shooter had been sending rounds south from Cottage Way in the direction of the Home Depot. That Home Depot location was placed on lockdown for a period of time. Crime scene personnel stayed at the location throughout the night.
Suspect Vehicle Located
Information relayed over scanner radio traffic revealed that a vehicle identified as a Kia was pulled over in the Solano County area. Four individuals were stopped and detained. Deputies were dispatched to Solano County to collect the individuals for further questioning. Video evidence revealed that two shooters had been involved.