Law enforcement in Sacramento are investigating a shooting incident that took place Saturday night April 18 at Howe Community Park in the Arden-Arcade area just as officers were clearing a large unauthorized gathering of an estimated several hundred individuals.
Background
Officers from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office first arrived at here the park at approximately 6:30 Saturday evening after receiving reports of individuals who may have had concealed firearms. Shortly after, a second call came in mentioning a possible physical fight happening at Howe Park.
Air support conducted an aerial sweep but came back with no confirmation of a fight. Even so, deputies found that hundreds of people had packed into the park without any permit or approval.
The Moment Gunfire Erupted
Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies began the process of clearing the park by surrounding the park and broadcasting over loudspeakers ordering attendees to leave immediately. About 15 minutes were provided for people to comply.
While deputies worked to disperse the gathering that upwards of 20 gunshots cut through the air. The barrage of gunfire triggered a stampede. Law enforcement wasted no time in finding those who had been shot.
Those Who Were Hit
Altogether, four individuals were confirmed as gunshot victims. The victims — consisting of one woman and three men each reported to be in their 20s — were taken to hospitals in the Sacramento area. Doctors and nurses stated that two had critical injury classifications, one person had injuries of a moderate nature, and one person's injuries were considered minor. According to authorities, all four were expected to survive.
Sacramento Metro Fire provided support and provided medical assistance the four victims at the scene.
Crime Scene Evidence
The primary shooting scene was determined to have taken place near the Cottage Way side of the park adjacent to the Home Depot on the 2200 block of Howe Ave. Detectives discovered more spent casings throughout the Cottage Way area. Bullet damage were identified in the wrought iron fence bordering the Home Depot store. This ballistic evidence suggested that at least one shooter had been firing southward from the Cottage Way area targeting the Home Depot. The store itself was placed on lockdown as a precaution. CSI units alongside detectives kept processing evidence late into the evening.
Suspect Vehicle Located
Information relayed over scanner radio traffic established that a vehicle identified as a Kia had been detained in Solano County. Four people were taken into custody. Sheriff's units were dispatched to Solano County to pick up those detained for investigation. Video reviewed at the scene established that the shooting involved two separate gunmen.