Sacramento County deputies are probing a gunfire incident that erupted on the evening of April 18 at Howe Community Park at the time deputies were clearing a large unauthorized gathering of hundreds of attendees.
Before the Gunfire
Law enforcement initially got calls about the park at about 6:30 PM after receiving reports of people potentially armed with concealed firearms. Soon after, a follow-up call was made concerning a reported physical confrontation breaking out at the location.
A law enforcement helicopter was sent to survey the area but was unable to locate the reported altercation. Regardless, it was evident that hundreds of people had packed into the park in an unauthorized manner.
The Dispersal and Shooting
Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies moved to clear the area by positioning themselves around the crowd and making announcements ordering attendees to disperse at once. About 15 minutes were given check here for the crowd to leave.
At the height of the dispersal effort that 20 to 25 gunshots rang out. The sudden gunfire sent the crowd running in all directions. Officers at once began locating gunshot victims.
Four People Shot
Ultimately, four victims were identified as having gunshot wounds. The four individuals — including a female and three males each apparently in their mid to late twenties — were brought to hospitals in the Sacramento area. Doctors and nurses stated that two victims were in serious condition, one sustained moderate wounds, and one suffered minor injuries. As of last report, no fatalities were reported and all four were stable.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire Department provided support and aided in treating shooting victims before they were taken to the hospital.
Physical Evidence
The center of the incident seemed to have unfolded on the Cottage Way corridor alongside the Home Depot store at the 2200 block of Howe Ave. Detectives identified further ballistic evidence in the form of shell casings on Cottage Way. Round impacts were discovered in the wrought iron perimeter fencing alongside the Home Depot. These findings confirmed that at least one shooter had been shooting in a southerly direction from along Cottage Way aimed at the Home Depot building and parking lot. The Home Depot was temporarily locked down while the scene was active. Crime scene technicians and detectives continued working through the early morning hours.
Detainees in Solano County
Reports confirmed via scanner audio revealed that a Kia connected to the shooting had been stopped in an area within Solano County. Four people were detained. Sacramento law enforcement were traveling to Solano County to bring the suspects back for further questioning. Surveillance footage confirmed that two individuals had fired weapons.