Law enforcement in Sacramento are probing a violent incident that took place Saturday evening at Howe Community Park in the Arden-Arcade area just as officers were shutting down an unauthorized event of hundreds of attendees.
How It Started
Officers from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office initially got calls about Howe Park at about 6:30 PM after being notified of people potentially armed with concealed firearms. Not long after, another report was received about an alleged brawl unfolding at Howe Park.
Aerial units flew over the park but was unable to locate the reported altercation. Despite this, it was apparent that a crowd of several hundred had assembled at the park without official sanction.
The Shooting Itself
Officers worked to disperse the crowd by surrounding the park and broadcasting over loudspeakers telling the assembled crowd to leave immediately. get more info Around 15 minutes were allotted for the gathering to break up.
Just as the crowd began to move that 20 to 25 gunshots were fired. Gunfire sent hundreds fleeing. Deputies immediately began searching for victims.
Four Victims Hospitalized
Ultimately, four people were located with gunshot injuries. The four individuals — including a female and three males ranging in age through their in their mid to late twenties — were airlifted or driven to nearby hospitals. Medical personnel noted that two victims sustained immediate injuries, one of the four had moderate gunshot wounds, and one victim's wounds were minor. Fortunately, all four were expected to survive.
Sacramento Metro Fire were called to the scene and helped triage the injured prior to hospital transport.
Crime Scene Evidence
The main crime scene was determined to have happened on the Cottage Way side of the park alongside the Home Depot on the 2200 block of Howe Avenue. Law enforcement investigators discovered additional shell casings scattered along Cottage Way. Projectile impacts were observed in the wrought iron fence bordering the nearby Home Depot. The physical evidence confirmed that one of the gunmen had been aiming south from the Cottage Way area targeting the Home Depot store. That Home Depot location was temporarily locked down while law enforcement worked the area. Crime scene technicians and detectives stayed at the location through the early morning hours.
Detainees in Solano County
Intelligence received via scanner audio confirmed that a Kia had been stopped in Solano County California. Four individuals were stopped and detained. Deputies were heading to pick up the four detainees to pick up those detained for questioning. Video reviewed at the scene confirmed that the shooting involved two separate gunmen.