Sacramento County Sheriff's Office investigators are looking into a gun violence incident that occurred on the evening of April 18 at Howe Community Park in the Arden-Arcade area while Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies were shutting down an unauthorized event of several hundred people.
How It Started
Deputies were first dispatched to the park at approximately 6:30 PM on April 18 after getting calls of people potentially armed with concealed firearms. Shortly after, a second call came in concerning a possible fight happening at the location.
Air support searched from above but was unable to locate the reported altercation. Nevertheless, it was apparent that hundreds of people had assembled at the park in an unauthorized manner.
How the Shooting Unfolded
Deputies began the process of get more info clearing the park by encircling the gathering and using their vehicle PA systems instructing the hundreds present to disperse at once. About 15 minutes were provided for the crowd to leave.
As the crowd was being cleared that 20 to 25 rounds of ammunition were fired. Gunfire sent hundreds fleeing. Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies at once began locating gunshot victims.
The Shooting Victims
By the time the scene was secured, four shooting victims were found to have been shot. The shooting victims — consisting of one woman and three men ranging in age through their in their early to late twenties — were airlifted or driven to Sacramento area hospitals. Medical teams reported that two of the four had injuries classified as immediate, one had moderate injuries, and one person's injuries were considered minor. As of last report, all four victims survived and were stable.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire Department assisted at the location and helped care for those who had been shot on location.
What Investigators Found
The main crime scene seemed to have happened along Cottage Way next to the Home Depot located at the 2200 block of Howe Ave. Investigators identified more spent casings scattered along Cottage Way. Bullet damage were noted in the wrought iron fence near the nearby Home Depot. This evidence suggested that a second shooter had been discharging rounds toward the south from Cottage Way aimed at the Home Depot building and parking lot. The Home Depot was placed on lockdown during the incident. CSI investigators and detectives kept processing evidence late into the evening.
Suspects Detained
Information relayed over police scanner frequencies established that a Kia had been stopped in Solano County California. Four suspects were taken into custody. Sheriff's units were sent to retrieve the detainees to collect the individuals for processing in Sacramento County. Video evidence established that two individuals had fired weapons.