Sacramento authorities are looking into a gunfire incident that occurred Saturday night April 18 at the Howe Community Park area as authorities were dispersing an unlawful assembly of multiple hundreds of people.
Background
Law enforcement initially responded to the Arden-Arcade park shortly before 6:30 in the evening after obtaining information of individuals who may have had concealed firearms. Not long after, a second caller reported concerning a possible fight happening within the park grounds.
A law enforcement helicopter flew over the park but could not confirm any ongoing fight. Nevertheless, it was apparent that an enormous crowd had come together at the location without any permit or approval.
The Dispersal and Shooting
Officers began the check here process of clearing the park by positioning themselves around the crowd and announcing over their public address systems telling those gathered to clear out. About 15 minutes were provided for the gathering to break up.
While deputies worked to disperse the gathering that an estimated 20 to 25 shots were fired. The barrage of gunfire sent the crowd running in all directions. Law enforcement swiftly started searching for victims.
Four People Shot
When the dust settled, four gunshot victims were located with gunshot injuries. The victims — a group of one female and three male victims all reportedly in their twenties — were rushed to local Sacramento hospitals. Emergency physicians confirmed that two were treated for serious injuries, one had moderate injuries, and one sustained minor gunshot wounds. Fortunately, all four were in stable condition.
Sacramento fire crews arrived on scene and aided in treating those who had been shot before they were taken to the hospital.
Evidence at the Scene
The bulk of the shooting seemed to have happened near the Cottage Way corridor next to the local Home Depot at the 2200 block of Howe Ave. Investigators identified additional spent rounds throughout the Cottage Way area. Round impacts were observed in the iron fence bordering the Home Depot. This ballistic evidence indicated that one of the gunmen had been firing southward from along Cottage Way toward the Home Depot store. The Home Depot was put under lockdown as a precaution. CSI investigators and detectives kept processing evidence well into the night.
Arrests Made
Information obtained over scanner radio traffic showed that a Kia connected to the shooting was intercepted in an area within Solano County. Four occupants were stopped and detained. Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies were sent to retrieve the detainees to collect the individuals for processing in Sacramento County. Footage analyzed by investigators made clear that two individuals had fired weapons.