Sacramento County Sheriff's Office investigators are investigating a gun violence incident that erupted late Saturday at Howe Park in Sacramento as officers were breaking up a large unauthorized gathering of multiple hundreds of people.
What Led to the Shooting
Officers from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office first arrived at Howe Community Park just after 6:30 Saturday evening after learning of people potentially armed with concealed firearms. Shortly after, a second caller reported mentioning a potential altercation happening inside the park.
Aerial units conducted an aerial sweep but found nothing to substantiate the fight website report. However, it was apparent that several hundred individuals had gathered without authorization without any permit or approval.
When the Shots Rang Out
Responding units began the process of clearing the park by forming a perimeter and issuing commands over loudspeakers directing the hundreds present to vacate the area. Around 15 minutes were allowed for the crowd to leave.
While deputies worked to disperse the gathering that 20 to 25 gunshots cut through the air. The shots triggered a stampede. Deputies quickly moved to locating gunshot victims.
Four Gunshot Victims
By the time the scene was secured, four people were found to have been shot. The victims — consisting of one woman and three men all believed to be in their twenties — were rushed to nearby hospitals. Hospital staff reported that two of the four had injuries classified as immediate, one victim's injuries were classified as moderate, and one victim's wounds were minor. In a positive development, all four victims survived and were stable.
Metro Fire Sacramento were called to the scene and provided medical assistance those who had been shot at the scene.
Physical Evidence
The main crime scene was believed to have taken place adjacent to the Cottage Way side of the park adjacent to the local Home Depot on the 2200 block of Howe Ave. Detectives identified additional shell casings on the Cottage Way roadway. Bullet holes were also found in the wrought iron fence bordering the Home Depot store. This ballistic evidence showed that at least one shooter had been discharging rounds toward the south from the Cottage Way area aimed at the Home Depot building and parking lot. The Home Depot was locked down during the incident. CSI investigators and detectives kept processing evidence for hours.
Suspect Vehicle Located
Information relayed through scanner monitoring revealed that a Kia connected to the shooting was intercepted in the Solano County area. Four individuals were held for questioning. Deputies were en route to collect those detained to bring the suspects back for further questioning. Video that was reviewed revealed that there were two gunmen.