Sacramento authorities are working a shooting that took place on the evening of April 18 at Howe Park as law enforcement were shutting down a large unauthorized gathering of a crowd of several hundred.
Background
Officers from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office first arrived at the Arden-Arcade park at approximately 6:30 PM on April 18 after obtaining information of individuals possibly carrying concealed weapons. Not long after, a follow-up call was made regarding a reported physical confrontation breaking out near the park.
Air support conducted an aerial sweep but came back with no confirmation of a fight. Regardless, it was evident that a crowd of several hundred had assembled at the park without any permit or approval.
The Shooting Itself
Law enforcement personnel set about removing people from the park by setting up around the park's perimeter and broadcasting over loudspeakers commanding attendees to leave immediately. Roughly 15 minutes were provided for the gathering to break up.
It was during this dispersal that 20 to 25 rounds of ammunition echoed through the night. Gunfire sent the crowd running in all directions. Responding personnel swiftly started looking for those injured.
Four Victims Hospitalized
Altogether, four Sacramento County Sheriff shooting investigation individuals were discovered with shooting injuries. The four individuals — a group of one female and three male victims ranging in age through their in their twenties — were brought to Sacramento area hospitals. Doctors and nurses stated that two of the four had injuries classified as immediate, one person had injuries of a moderate nature, and one sustained minor gunshot wounds. Fortunately, all four victims survived and were stable.
Metro Fire Sacramento assisted at the location and provided medical assistance the four victims at the park.
The Investigation
The bulk of the shooting was believed to have unfolded along Cottage Way close to the Home Depot store at the 2200 Howe Avenue block. CSI personnel found further ballistic evidence in the form of shell casings scattered along Cottage Way. Bullet damage were noted in the iron perimeter fence bordering the nearby Home Depot. These discoveries pointed to that at least one of the shooters had been shooting in a southerly direction from along Cottage Way in the direction of the Home Depot store. The nearby Home Depot was placed on lockdown while law enforcement worked the area. Crime scene personnel stayed at the location late into the evening.
Suspect Information
Details gathered via scanner audio established that a Kia vehicle was contacted by law enforcement in nearby Solano County. Four occupants were in the vehicle at the time of the stop. Deputies were traveling to Solano County to collect the individuals for processing in Sacramento County. Surveillance footage showed that two individuals had fired weapons.