Law enforcement in Sacramento are looking into a gunfire incident that unfolded Saturday evening at Howe Community Park at the time deputies were shutting down an unlawful assembly of a crowd of several hundred.
What Led to the Shooting
Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies initially got calls about Howe Community Park just after 6:30 Saturday evening after learning of individuals possibly carrying concealed weapons. Not long after, a second call came in mentioning a reported physical confrontation unfolding at Howe Park.
Aerial units flew over the park but was unable to locate the reported altercation. Nevertheless, it became clear that a crowd of several hundred had gathered without authorization without any permit or approval.
The Moment Gunfire Erupted
Law enforcement personnel moved to clear the area by positioning themselves around the crowd and issuing commands over loudspeakers telling the hundreds present to leave immediately. Approximately 15 minutes were allotted for attendees to disperse.
Just as the crowd began to move that 20 to 25 rounds of ammunition echoed through the night. The rapid succession of shots sent hundreds fleeing. Law enforcement at once began looking for those injured.
Those Who Were Hit
By the time the scene was secured, four people were discovered with shooting injuries. The four individuals — consisting of one woman and three men website each apparently in their twenties — were taken to nearby hospitals. Hospital staff indicated that two victims were in serious condition, one victim's injuries were classified as moderate, and one had injuries classified as minor. As of last report, no fatalities were reported and all four were stable.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District arrived on scene and helped triage the four victims on location.
Crime Scene Evidence
The primary shooting scene was determined to have taken place near the Cottage Way corridor alongside the Home Depot store at the 2200 block of Howe Avenue. Law enforcement investigators identified additional spent rounds scattered along Cottage Way. Bullet holes were also found in the iron fence alongside the nearby Home Depot. This ballistic evidence pointed to that one of the gunmen had been discharging rounds toward the south from along Cottage Way toward the Home Depot. The nearby Home Depot was put under lockdown as a precaution. Crime scene personnel continued working well into the night.
Suspect Vehicle Located
Details gathered over scanner radio traffic established that a suspect Kia was intercepted in nearby Solano County. Four individuals were held for questioning. Deputies were en route to collect those detained to collect the individuals for processing in Sacramento County. Footage analyzed by investigators confirmed that two separate shooters participated in the incident.