Sacramento County Sheriff's Office investigators are examining a violent incident that broke out late Saturday at the Howe Community Park area while authorities were dispersing an unsanctioned gathering of multiple hundreds of people.
What Led to the Shooting
Sacramento County law enforcement were first called to Howe Community Park just after half past six in the evening after receiving reports of people potentially armed with concealed firearms. Soon after, a follow-up call was made concerning a possible fight happening within the park grounds.
Aerial units scanned the area from the air but reported no active disturbance. Nevertheless, deputies found that an enormous crowd had assembled at the park in an unauthorized manner.
When the Shots Rang Out
Officers moved to clear the area by encircling the gathering and broadcasting over loudspeakers instructing attendees to vacate the area. Roughly 15 minutes were allowed for attendees to disperse.
At the height of the dispersal effort that an estimated 20 to 25 shots cut through the air. The sudden gunfire caused mass panic. Law enforcement at once began looking for those injured.
Four Gunshot Victims
By the time the scene was secured, four individuals were more info confirmed as gunshot victims. The four individuals — including a female and three males each reported to be in their twenties — were taken to area medical facilities. Medical personnel confirmed that two had critical injury classifications, one of the four had moderate gunshot wounds, and one sustained minor gunshot wounds. In a positive development, all four were in stable condition.
Sacramento Metro Fire provided support and provided medical assistance the four victims at the park.
Physical Evidence
The primary shooting scene appears to have taken place adjacent to the Cottage Way corridor near the Home Depot at the 2200 block of Howe Ave. CSI personnel discovered additional spent rounds on Cottage Way. Ballistic damage were observed in the wrought iron perimeter fencing bordering the nearby Home Depot. These findings pointed to that a shooter had been aiming south from the Cottage Way area targeting the Home Depot building and parking lot. The nearby Home Depot was placed on lockdown while the scene was active. Crime scene technicians and detectives remained on scene through the early morning hours.
Suspect Information
Reports confirmed through law enforcement radio communications showed that a Kia was contacted by law enforcement in the Solano County area. Four people were held for questioning. Sheriff's units were sent to retrieve the detainees to transport the detainees for further questioning. Surveillance footage revealed that two shooters had been involved.