Sacramento County deputies are examining a gunfire incident that erupted on the evening of April 18 at Howe Park at the moment deputies were shutting down an unsanctioned gathering of a crowd of several hundred.
What Led to the Shooting
Sacramento County law enforcement initially responded to the Arden-Arcade park just after half past six in the evening after receiving reports of individuals possibly carrying concealed weapons. After that, a second caller reported mentioning a possible fight taking place at Howe Park.
A sheriff's airship flew over the park but could not confirm any ongoing fight. Regardless, it was evident that an enormous crowd had packed into the park without permission.
The Shooting Itself
Deputies began the process of clearing the park by surrounding the park and announcing over their public address systems commanding those gathered to clear out. About 15 minutes were allowed for the crowd to leave.
While deputies worked to disperse the gathering that upwards of 20 gunshots cut through the air. The barrage of gunfire triggered a stampede. Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies quickly moved to looking for those injured.
Four People Shot
Altogether, four people were here confirmed as gunshot victims. The shooting victims — made up of one woman and three men each apparently in their 20s — were brought to local Sacramento hospitals. Hospital staff confirmed that two of the four had injuries classified as immediate, one victim's injuries were classified as moderate, and one suffered minor injuries. In a positive development, all four were in stable condition.
Metro Fire Sacramento arrived on scene and assisted with medical triage shooting victims at the park.
The Investigation
Most of the gunfire was confirmed to have occurred near Cottage Way alongside the Home Depot situated at the 2200 block of Howe Ave. CSI personnel recovered further ballistic evidence in the form of shell casings on Cottage Way. Round impacts were observed in the wrought iron perimeter fencing bordering the Home Depot store. This evidence showed that one of the gunmen had been shooting in a southerly direction from the Cottage Way area targeting the Home Depot store. That Home Depot location was put under lockdown while the scene was active. CSI investigators and detectives remained on scene for hours.
Suspect Vehicle Located
Intelligence received via scanner audio indicated that a Kia connected to the shooting was pulled over in an area within Solano County. Four occupants were detained. Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies were sent to retrieve the detainees to return them to Sacramento for formal questioning. Video that was reviewed made clear that there were two gunmen.