Sacramento County Sheriff's Office investigators are investigating a gun violence incident that unfolded Saturday night April 18 at Howe Community Park at the time officers were breaking up an unauthorized event of hundreds of attendees.
What Led to the Shooting
Law enforcement initially responded to the park just after 6:30 PM after receiving reports of persons possibly in possession of concealed weapons. Not long after, a second call came in describing a potential altercation happening within the park grounds.
A law enforcement helicopter flew over the park but was unable to locate the reported altercation. Despite this, it became clear that an enormous crowd had gathered without authorization without any permit or approval.
The Shooting Itself
Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies worked to disperse the crowd by setting up around the park's perimeter and issuing commands over loudspeakers instructing the assembled crowd to disperse at once. Nearly 15 minutes were provided for people to comply.
While deputies worked to disperse the gathering that an estimated 20 to 25 shots cut through the air. Gunfire triggered a stampede. Deputies wasted no time in locating gunshot victims.
The Shooting Victims
Altogether, four shooting victims were discovered with shooting injuries. The victims — made up of one woman and three men each apparently in their twenties — were brought to area medical facilities. Doctors and nurses confirmed that two of the four had injuries classified as immediate, one of the four had moderate gunshot wounds, and one victim's wounds were minor. Thankfully, all four were expected to survive.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire Department provided support and aided in treating the four victims before they were taken to the hospital.
The Investigation
The bulk of the shooting was determined to have happened along the Cottage Way corridor near the local Home Depot located at the 2200 Howe Avenue block. CSI personnel here identified extra shell casings on Cottage Way. Bullet damage were noted in the iron perimeter fence alongside the Home Depot store. This evidence showed that a second shooter had been firing southward from the Cottage Way area aimed at the Home Depot building and parking lot. That Home Depot location was put under lockdown during the incident. CSI units alongside detectives stayed at the location throughout the night.
Detainees in Solano County
Intelligence received over scanner radio traffic indicated that a Kia was intercepted in nearby Solano County. Four suspects were stopped and detained. Sheriff's units were en route to collect those detained to bring the suspects back for questioning. Surveillance footage established that the shooting involved two separate gunmen.