Law enforcement in Sacramento are working a gun violence incident that broke out Saturday night April 18 at Howe Community Park in the Arden-Arcade area just as law enforcement were clearing a large unauthorized gathering of an estimated several hundred individuals.
Background
Deputies initially responded to Howe Community Park at about 6:30 PM on April 18 after getting calls of persons possibly in possession of concealed weapons. After that, a second caller reported describing a reported physical confrontation occurring near the park.
An overhead unit was sent to survey the area but came back with no confirmation of a fight. Regardless, it was evident that several hundred individuals had assembled at the park without official sanction.
When the Shots Rang Out
Deputies worked to disperse the crowd by encircling the gathering and issuing commands over loudspeakers ordering the assembled crowd to leave immediately. Approximately 15 minutes were allowed for individuals to vacate.
At the height of the dispersal effort that upwards of 20 gunshots were fired. The shots sent hundreds fleeing. Responding personnel swiftly started identifying shooting victims.
The Shooting Victims
When the dust settled, four people were confirmed as gunshot victims. The shooting victims — a group of one female and three male victims each apparently in their mid to late twenties — were brought to area medical facilities. Medical teams confirmed that two had critical injury classifications, one person had injuries of a moderate nature, and one person's injuries were considered minor. Fortunately, all four were in click here stable condition.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District were called to the scene and assisted with medical triage those with gunshot wounds before they were taken to the hospital.
What Investigators Found
Most of the gunfire seemed to have occurred along Cottage Way close to the Home Depot located at the 2200 block of Howe Avenue. Law enforcement investigators discovered additional shell casings on the Cottage Way roadway. Bullet holes were identified in the iron fence near the Home Depot. This evidence showed that at least one shooter had been sending rounds south from the Cottage Way area toward the Home Depot. That Home Depot location was temporarily locked down for a period of time. Crime scene personnel kept processing evidence for hours.
Suspects Detained
Details gathered over scanner radio traffic confirmed that a Kia was pulled over in the Solano County area. Four suspects were detained. Law enforcement units were sent to retrieve the detainees to transport the detainees for investigation. Video that was reviewed confirmed that there were two gunmen.