Sacramento County Sheriff's Office investigators are looking into a shooting that took place Saturday evening at Howe Park as authorities were clearing an unsanctioned gathering of multiple hundreds of people.
How It Started
Law enforcement first arrived at Howe Park at approximately 6:30 in the evening after being notified of individuals possibly carrying concealed weapons. Soon after, a second caller reported regarding an alleged brawl unfolding at Howe Park.
An overhead unit conducted an aerial sweep but reported no active disturbance. Despite this, it became clear that a crowd of several hundred had congregated at Howe Park without any permit or approval.
The Dispersal and Shooting
Officers worked to disperse the crowd by setting up around the park's perimeter and using their vehicle PA systems directing those gathered to disperse at once. Around 15 minutes were given for people to comply.
At the height of the dispersal effort that between 20 and 25 rounds were discharged. The rapid succession of shots sparked chaos as hundreds ran. Responding personnel wasted no time in searching for victims.
Four Gunshot Victims
By the time the scene was secured, four victims were identified as having gunshot wounds. The four individuals — including a female and three males each reported to be in their 20s — were rushed to local Sacramento hospitals. Hospital staff indicated that two of the four had injuries classified as immediate, one had moderate injuries, and one sustained minor gunshot wounds. Thankfully, all four were in stable condition.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District were called to the scene and helped triage those who had been shot on location.
Physical Evidence
The main crime scene appears to have occurred along Cottage Way next to the Home Depot store on the 2200 Howe Avenue block. Law enforcement investigators found further ballistic evidence in the form of shell casings on Cottage Way. Ballistic damage were identified in the wrought iron perimeter fencing bordering the nearby Home Depot. This evidence showed that a shooter had been shooting in a southerly direction from Cottage Way click here in the direction of the Home Depot building and parking lot. The store itself was secured under a brief lockdown as a precaution. Forensic investigators and law enforcement detectives continued working through the early morning hours.
Suspects Detained
Information obtained via scanner audio established that a vehicle identified as a Kia had been detained in the Solano County area. Four occupants were stopped and detained. Sacramento law enforcement were en route to collect those detained to transport the detainees for questioning. Video evidence made clear that two separate shooters participated in the incident.