Sacramento County Sheriff's Office investigators are working a violent incident that erupted Saturday night April 18 at the Howe Community Park area while law enforcement were dispersing a large unsanctioned party of hundreds of attendees.
How It Started
Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies initially responded to the park on Howe Avenue around 6:30 Saturday evening after obtaining information of subjects reportedly carrying hidden weapons. Not long after, another report was received describing a reported physical confrontation unfolding inside the park.
A law enforcement helicopter flew over the park but reported no active disturbance. Even so, it was evident that a massive group had assembled at the park in an unauthorized manner.
How the Shooting Unfolded
Responding units started clearing the unauthorized gathering by setting up around the park's perimeter and using their vehicle PA systems telling the assembled crowd to go home. Around 15 minutes were provided for the crowd to leave.
At the height of the dispersal effort that between 20 and 25 rounds rang out. Gunfire sent the crowd running in all directions. Responding personnel wasted no time in locating gunshot victims.
Four Victims Hospitalized
Ultimately, four individuals were discovered with shooting injuries. All four — comprising three men and one woman all believed to be in their early to late twenties — were rushed to Sacramento area hospitals. Doctors and nurses confirmed that two victims sustained immediate injuries, one person had injuries of a moderate nature, and one get more info sustained minor gunshot wounds. As of last report, each of the four victims was stable.
Sacramento fire crews assisted at the location and aided in treating the injured at the scene.
What Investigators Found
The bulk of the shooting seemed to have been concentrated adjacent to the Cottage Way corridor near the Home Depot store at the 2200 block of Howe Avenue. CSI personnel located extra shell casings on the Cottage Way roadway. Projectile impacts were also found in the iron perimeter fence alongside the Home Depot. These discoveries pointed to that a shooter had been aiming south from along Cottage Way targeting the Home Depot building and parking lot. The nearby Home Depot was secured under a brief lockdown during the incident. Crime scene technicians and detectives stayed at the location late into the evening.
Detainees in Solano County
Reports confirmed through law enforcement radio communications showed that a Kia connected to the shooting had been detained in Solano County. Four people were in the vehicle at the time of the stop. Law enforcement units were sent to retrieve the detainees to transport the detainees for processing in Sacramento County. Video that was reviewed showed that two individuals had fired weapons.