Sacramento authorities are probing a shooting that broke out Saturday evening at Howe Community Park while deputies were breaking up an unlawful assembly of an estimated several hundred individuals.
Prior to the Shooting
Deputies were first called to the park on Howe Avenue at approximately 6:30 Saturday evening after learning of subjects reportedly carrying hidden weapons. Shortly after, a follow-up call was made regarding a possible fight occurring near the park.
A sheriff's airship flew over the park but could not confirm any ongoing fight. Regardless, authorities discovered that a crowd of several hundred had assembled at the park in an unauthorized manner.
The Moment Gunfire Erupted
Law enforcement personnel set about removing people from the park by setting up around the park's perimeter and making announcements commanding the hundreds present to vacate the area. About 15 minutes were given for the gathering to break up.
While deputies worked to disperse the gathering that 20 to 25 rounds of ammunition were fired. The rapid succession of shots sparked chaos as hundreds ran. Responding personnel at once began identifying shooting victims.
Four People Shot
Altogether, four shooting victims were located with gunshot injuries. The victims — made up of one woman and three men all reportedly in their early to late twenties — were airlifted or driven to local Sacramento hospitals. Hospital staff reported that two had critical injury classifications, one sustained moderate wounds, and one suffered minor injuries. According to authorities, no fatalities were reported and all four were stable.
Sacramento Metro Fire were called to the scene and helped care for the injured on location.
What Investigators Found
The main crime scene was determined to have been concentrated on the Cottage Way corridor alongside the Home Depot situated at the 2200 block of Howe Ave. Crime scene investigators located extra shell website casings on Cottage Way. Bullet holes were observed in the wrought iron perimeter fencing bordering the nearby Home Depot. These findings suggested that at least one shooter had been aiming south from along Cottage Way in the direction of the Home Depot building and parking lot. That Home Depot location was placed on lockdown for a period of time. Crime scene personnel continued working late into the evening.
Suspects Detained
Information relayed through scanner monitoring confirmed that a Kia connected to the shooting was pulled over in Solano County. Four detainees were held for questioning. Sheriff's units were traveling to Solano County to bring the suspects back for formal questioning. Footage analyzed by investigators showed that the shooting involved two separate gunmen.