Sacramento County Sheriff's Office investigators are probing a violent incident that occurred late Saturday at the Howe Community Park area just as Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies were shutting down an unlawful assembly of multiple hundreds of people.
What Led to the Shooting
Law enforcement were first dispatched to Howe Park shortly before 6:30 PM after being notified of individuals possibly carrying concealed weapons. After that, another report was received describing a possible fight taking place near the park.
An overhead unit flew over the park but reported no active disturbance. Regardless, deputies found that a massive group had congregated at Howe Park without authorization.
When the Shots Rang Out
Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies started clearing the unauthorized gathering by encircling the gathering and using their vehicle PA systems directing the crowd to disperse at once. About 15 minutes were spent for individuals to vacate.
As the crowd was being cleared that 20 to 25 rounds of ammunition rang out. The sudden gunfire triggered a stampede. Officers quickly moved to identifying shooting victims.
Four People Shot
Altogether, four gunshot victims were identified as having gunshot wounds. The four individuals — a group of one female and three male victims all believed to be in their mid to late twenties — were airlifted or driven to Sacramento area hospitals. Emergency physicians indicated that check here two were treated for serious injuries, one person had injuries of a moderate nature, and one person's injuries were considered minor. In a positive development, all four victims survived and were stable.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District provided support and helped triage those who had been shot before they were taken to the hospital.
Physical Evidence
The center of the incident was believed to have occurred adjacent to the Cottage Way corridor alongside the local Home Depot situated at the 2200 block of Howe Avenue. Crime scene investigators located extra shell casings along Cottage Way. Bullet holes were discovered in the wrought iron fence bordering the Home Depot store. These discoveries suggested that a second shooter had been sending rounds south from along Cottage Way targeting the Home Depot store. The nearby Home Depot was locked down while law enforcement worked the area. Forensic investigators and law enforcement detectives kept processing evidence throughout the night.
Suspect Information
Information obtained through law enforcement radio communications established that a Kia connected to the shooting was pulled over in Solano County. Four people were detained. Law enforcement units were dispatched to Solano County to collect the individuals for investigation. Video that was reviewed confirmed that the shooting involved two separate gunmen.