Law enforcement in Sacramento are investigating a violent incident that broke out on the evening of April 18 at Howe Community more info Park as Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies were clearing an unauthorized event of hundreds of attendees.
How It Started
Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies were first called to Howe Park just after 6:30 PM on April 18 after being notified of individuals possibly carrying concealed weapons. Soon after, another report was received about an alleged brawl happening inside the park.
An overhead unit scanned the area from the air but found nothing to substantiate the fight report. Nevertheless, deputies found that an enormous crowd had packed into the park without permission.
When the Shots Rang Out
Law enforcement personnel worked to disperse the crowd by forming a perimeter and issuing commands over loudspeakers directing the crowd to disperse at once. Roughly 15 minutes were provided for the gathering to break up.
As the crowd was being cleared that upwards of 20 gunshots rang out. Gunfire sparked chaos as hundreds ran. Officers wasted no time in identifying shooting victims.
Four Gunshot Victims
Ultimately, four victims were located with gunshot injuries. All four — consisting of one woman and three men ranging in age through their in their early to late twenties — were brought to area medical facilities. Hospital staff indicated that two victims sustained immediate injuries, one had moderate injuries, and one had injuries classified as minor. In a positive development, all four were expected to survive.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire Department assisted at the location and helped triage the four victims at the park.
Physical Evidence
The bulk of the shooting seemed to have been concentrated adjacent to the Cottage Way corridor next to the Home Depot at the 2200 block of Howe Ave. Law enforcement investigators found further ballistic evidence in the form of shell casings scattered along Cottage Way. Round impacts were noted in the iron fence adjacent to the Home Depot. This ballistic evidence suggested that one of the gunmen had been aiming south from along Cottage Way targeting the Home Depot. The store itself was put under lockdown during the incident. CSI units alongside detectives stayed at the location late into the evening.
Suspect Vehicle Located
Details gathered through scanner monitoring confirmed that a suspect Kia was pulled over in the Solano County area. Four detainees were detained. Law enforcement units were dispatched to Solano County to return them to Sacramento for investigation. Video evidence revealed that the shooting involved two separate gunmen.