Law enforcement in Sacramento are working a shooting that broke out on the evening of April 18 at Howe Park in Sacramento while law enforcement website were shutting down an unauthorized event of hundreds of attendees.
How It Started
Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies initially responded to the Arden-Arcade park at about 6:30 in the evening after learning of persons possibly in possession of concealed weapons. Shortly after, additional information came in about a possible physical fight taking place at Howe Park.
A law enforcement helicopter conducted an aerial sweep but was unable to locate the reported altercation. Regardless, authorities discovered that an enormous crowd had come together at the location in an unauthorized manner.
The Shooting Itself
Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies worked to disperse the crowd by setting up around the park's perimeter and issuing commands over loudspeakers directing the assembled crowd to leave immediately. About 15 minutes were allotted for individuals to vacate.
It was during this dispersal that an estimated 20 to 25 shots echoed through the night. The rapid succession of shots caused mass panic. Officers at once began looking for those injured.
The Shooting Victims
In total, four gunshot victims were confirmed as gunshot victims. The four individuals — consisting of one woman and three men each reported to be in their 20s — were transported to local Sacramento hospitals. Medical teams noted that two of the four had injuries classified as immediate, one sustained moderate wounds, and one victim's wounds were minor. As of last report, all four were in stable condition.
Sacramento fire crews arrived on scene and aided in treating those with gunshot wounds at the scene.
Physical Evidence
The center of the incident was confirmed to have unfolded adjacent to Cottage Way next to the local Home Depot situated at the 2200 block of Howe Ave. CSI personnel identified further ballistic evidence in the form of shell casings scattered along Cottage Way. Round impacts were identified in the wrought iron fence surrounding the Home Depot. This ballistic evidence showed that one of the gunmen had been firing southward from the Cottage Way area targeting the Home Depot store. The nearby Home Depot was secured under a brief lockdown while law enforcement worked the area. CSI investigators and detectives kept processing evidence late into the evening.
Suspects Detained
Details gathered via scanner audio confirmed that a Kia connected to the shooting had been detained in nearby Solano County. Four people were in the vehicle at the time of the stop. Law enforcement units were heading to pick up the four detainees to transport the detainees for further questioning. Video evidence showed that two shooters had been involved.