Sacramento County deputies are working a shooting incident that took place on the evening of April 18 at the Howe Community Park area at the time officers were shutting down an unlawful assembly of hundreds of attendees.
Before the Gunfire
Deputies initially got calls about Howe Community Park at about half past six in the evening after receiving reports of persons possibly in possession of concealed weapons. Shortly after, additional information came in mentioning a reported physical confrontation taking place at Howe Park.
Aerial units scanned the area from the air but was unable to locate the reported altercation. Even so, it was apparent that a crowd of several hundred had gathered without authorization without official sanction.
The Moment Gunfire Erupted
Officers moved to clear the area by setting up around the park's perimeter and using their vehicle PA website systems commanding those gathered to clear out. Nearly 15 minutes were allotted for individuals to vacate.
Just as the crowd began to move that 20 to 25 gunshots rang out. Gunfire sent the crowd running in all directions. Responding personnel quickly moved to searching for victims.
Four People Shot
Ultimately, four shooting victims were identified as having gunshot wounds. The shooting victims — including a female and three males each apparently in their early to late twenties — were brought to area medical facilities. Medical personnel noted that two had critical injury classifications, one sustained moderate wounds, and one sustained minor gunshot wounds. According to authorities, all four victims survived and were stable.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District also responded and aided in treating those who had been shot at the scene.
The Investigation
The center of the incident was confirmed to have happened near the Cottage Way corridor alongside the Home Depot at the 2200 block of Howe Ave. Crime scene investigators located additional shell casings scattered along Cottage Way. Bullet holes were discovered in the iron fence adjacent to the Home Depot. These discoveries indicated that a shooter had been aiming south from Cottage Way in the direction of the Home Depot building and parking lot. The Home Depot was temporarily locked down during the incident. Forensic investigators and law enforcement detectives worked tirelessly late into the evening.
Suspects Detained
Reports confirmed over police scanner frequencies showed that a suspect Kia was contacted by law enforcement in the Solano County area. Four detainees were taken into custody. Law enforcement units were sent to retrieve the detainees to collect the individuals for processing in Sacramento County. Footage analyzed by investigators revealed that two shooters had been involved.