Sacramento authorities are looking into a violent incident that occurred Saturday night April 18 at Howe Community Park just as officers were breaking up an unsanctioned gathering of an estimated several hundred individuals.
Background
Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies initially got calls about Howe Park shortly before 6:30 PM after getting calls of persons possibly in possession of concealed weapons. Not long after, a second caller reported concerning a possible fight taking place near the park.
Aerial units conducted an aerial sweep but could not confirm any ongoing fight. Regardless, it was evident that a crowd of several hundred had packed into the park without authorization.
When the Shots Rang Out
Responding units set about removing people from the park by surrounding the park and issuing commands over loudspeakers commanding the hundreds present to vacate the area. Around 15 minutes were spent for attendees to disperse.
Just as the crowd began to move that between 20 and 25 rounds echoed through the night. The sudden gunfire triggered a stampede. Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies immediately began searching for victims.
Four Gunshot Victims
When the dust settled, four victims were identified as having gunshot wounds. All four — consisting of Cottage Way shooting Sacramento one woman and three men each reported to be in their 20s — were airlifted or driven to Sacramento area hospitals. Medical teams noted that two were treated for serious injuries, one person had injuries of a moderate nature, and one victim's wounds were minor. According to authorities, all four were expected to survive.
Sacramento Metro Fire assisted at the location and assisted with medical triage the injured at the park.
Evidence at the Scene
The center of the incident was determined to have unfolded adjacent to the Cottage Way side of the park adjacent to the Home Depot on the 2200 Howe Avenue block. Law enforcement investigators located additional shell casings throughout the Cottage Way area. Projectile impacts were observed in the iron fence near the Home Depot. These discoveries confirmed that a shooter had been discharging rounds toward the south from Cottage Way in the direction of the Home Depot store. The Home Depot was locked down as a precaution. CSI investigators and detectives worked tirelessly throughout the night.
Suspects Detained
Details gathered via scanner audio indicated that a suspect Kia had been stopped in nearby Solano County. Four individuals were in the vehicle at the time of the stop. Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies were sent to retrieve the detainees to pick up those detained for further questioning. Footage analyzed by investigators showed that two individuals had fired weapons.