Sacramento authorities are examining a shooting that erupted on the evening of April 18 at the Howe Community Park area just as officers were clearing an unsanctioned gathering of hundreds of attendees.
What Led to the Shooting
Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies initially responded to the Arden-Arcade park around 6:30 Saturday evening after being notified of persons possibly in possession of concealed weapons. Not long after, a follow-up call was made about an alleged brawl occurring at the location.
Aerial units flew over the park but reported no active disturbance. Regardless, authorities discovered that hundreds of people had come together at the location in an unauthorized manner.
When the Shots Rang Out
Officers began the process of clearing the park by surrounding the park and broadcasting over loudspeakers directing the assembled crowd to disperse at once. Nearly 15 minutes were spent for individuals to vacate.
While deputies worked to disperse the gathering that 20 to 25 rounds of ammunition cut through the air. The shots sent the crowd running in all directions. Responding personnel swiftly started searching for victims.
Four People Shot
When the dust settled, four shooting victims were located with gunshot injuries. The victims — consisting of one woman and three men all believed to be in their twenties — were taken to local Sacramento hospitals. Medical teams noted that two of the four had injuries classified as immediate, one victim's injuries were classified as moderate, and one had injuries classified as minor. According to authorities, all four victims survived and were stable.
Sacramento fire crews also responded and helped care for the injured before they were taken to the hospital.
Crime Scene Evidence
The center of the incident was believed to have unfolded adjacent to Cottage Way near the Home Depot on the 2200 block of Howe Avenue. CSI personnel located more spent casings along Cottage Way. Round impacts were noted in the iron fence adjacent to the nearby Home Depot. This ballistic evidence showed that one of the gunmen had been sending rounds south from Cottage Way in the direction of the Home Depot store. The Home Depot was placed on lockdown while the scene was active. CSI units alongside detectives remained on scene throughout the night.
Suspect Information
Intelligence received through scanner monitoring showed that a vehicle identified as a Kia was pulled over in Solano County California. Four individuals were in the vehicle at the time of the stop. Deputies were heading to pick up the four detainees to pick read more up those detained for processing in Sacramento County. Video evidence confirmed that there were two gunmen.