Sacramento County deputies are probing a shooting that took place Saturday night April 18 at Howe Park in Sacramento just as authorities were clearing an unauthorized event of an estimated several hundred individuals.
Prior to the Shooting
Law enforcement initially got calls about Howe Park just after 6:30 in the evening after learning of subjects reportedly carrying hidden weapons. Shortly after, additional information came in mentioning a possible physical fight unfolding inside the park.
Air support flew over the park but could not confirm any ongoing fight. Even so, it was apparent that hundreds of people had assembled at the park without permission.
The Shooting Itself
Responding units started clearing the unauthorized gathering by encircling the gathering and announcing over their public address systems directing those gathered to disperse at once. Roughly 15 minutes were spent for individuals to vacate.
As the crowd was being cleared that between 20 and 25 rounds were fired. The barrage of gunfire caused mass panic. Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies at once began finding those who had been shot.
The Shooting Victims
Ultimately, four individuals were confirmed as gunshot victims. The victims — made up of one woman and three men all believed to be in their twenties — were airlifted or driven to Sacramento area hospitals. Medical teams indicated that two victims were in serious condition, one sustained moderate wounds, and one sustained minor gunshot wounds. Fortunately, all four were in stable condition.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District assisted at the location and helped triage those with gunshot wounds at the park.
What Investigators Found
Most of the gunfire seemed to have occurred on the Cottage Way side of the park close to the Home Depot store situated at the 2200 block of Howe Avenue. Crime scene investigators located more spent casings on Cottage Way. Bullet damage were noted in the iron fence surrounding the Home Depot. This evidence suggested that at least one shooter had been shooting in a southerly direction from the Cottage Way area aimed at the Home Depot building and parking lot. The Home Depot was locked down while law enforcement worked the area. CSI units alongside detectives remained on scene throughout the night.
Detainees in Solano County
Reports confirmed through scanner more info monitoring showed that a Kia vehicle was contacted by law enforcement in an area within Solano County. Four detainees were in the vehicle at the time of the stop. Deputies were dispatched to Solano County to pick up those detained for processing in Sacramento County. Video reviewed at the scene established that two individuals had fired weapons.