Law enforcement in Sacramento are probing a shooting incident that erupted late Saturday at Howe Park in Sacramento while law enforcement were clearing an unauthorized event of hundreds of attendees.
How It Started
Officers from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office first arrived at the park around 6:30 PM on April 18 after being notified of people potentially armed with concealed firearms. Soon after, additional information came in concerning a reported physical confrontation occurring at Howe Park.
Air support flew over the park but could not confirm any ongoing fight. Even so, deputies found that hundreds of people had packed into the park without authorization.
The Moment Gunfire Erupted
Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies set about removing people from the park by encircling the gathering and issuing commands over loudspeakers instructing the hundreds present to clear out. Approximately 15 minutes were allowed for the gathering to break up.
It was during this dispersal that 20 to 25 gunshots rang out. The rapid succession of shots triggered a stampede. Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies immediately began identifying shooting victims.
Four Gunshot Victims
In Cottage Way shooting Sacramento total, four people were confirmed as gunshot victims. All four — consisting of one woman and three men all reportedly in their twenties — were airlifted or driven to hospitals in the Sacramento area. Hospital staff indicated that two were treated for serious injuries, one had moderate injuries, and one had injuries classified as minor. Fortunately, all four were expected to survive.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District arrived on scene and helped care for the four victims at the scene.
Crime Scene Evidence
Most of the gunfire was confirmed to have taken place near Cottage Way close to the Home Depot on the 2200 Howe Avenue block. Investigators recovered extra shell casings along Cottage Way. Projectile impacts were noted in the metal fencing adjacent to the Home Depot. These discoveries indicated that a second shooter had been aiming south from the Cottage Way area aimed at the Home Depot. That Home Depot location was temporarily locked down during the incident. CSI units alongside detectives remained on scene for hours.
Suspect Information
Reports confirmed through scanner monitoring established that a vehicle identified as a Kia was contacted by law enforcement in the Solano County area. Four people were detained. Sacramento law enforcement were heading to pick up the four detainees to collect the individuals for formal questioning. Video evidence established that the shooting involved two separate gunmen.