Sacramento authorities are probing a shooting incident that broke out Saturday evening at Howe Park at the time Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies were dissolving a large unsanctioned party of a crowd of several hundred.
Background
Sacramento County law enforcement were first called to Howe Park shortly before 6:30 PM on April 18 after being notified of subjects reportedly carrying hidden weapons. Shortly after, a second call came in mentioning a potential altercation unfolding near the park.
Air support conducted an aerial sweep but came back with no confirmation of a fight. Even so, it was evident that a massive group had packed into the park without permission.
The Moment Gunfire Erupted
Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies set about removing people from read more the park by setting up around the park's perimeter and issuing commands over loudspeakers telling attendees to disperse at once. Approximately 15 minutes were spent for the gathering to break up.
As the crowd was being cleared that 20 to 25 gunshots were fired. The sudden gunfire triggered a stampede. Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies at once began looking for those injured.
Those Who Were Hit
By the time the scene was secured, four shooting victims were found to have been shot. The shooting victims — consisting of one woman and three men all believed to be in their 20s — were transported to area medical facilities. Emergency physicians stated that two victims sustained immediate injuries, one had moderate injuries, and one had injuries classified as minor. As of last report, no fatalities were reported and all four were stable.
Metro Fire Sacramento arrived on scene and provided medical assistance those who had been shot at the park.
Evidence at the Scene
The center of the incident was believed to have unfolded near the Cottage Way side of the park near the Home Depot located at the 2200 Howe Avenue block. Detectives found extra shell casings on the Cottage Way roadway. Bullet holes were also found in the wrought iron fence bordering the Home Depot. This ballistic evidence pointed to that at least one of the shooters had been sending rounds south from along Cottage Way aimed at the Home Depot store. The store itself was locked down while law enforcement worked the area. CSI units alongside detectives kept processing evidence through the early morning hours.
Suspect Vehicle Located
Reports confirmed over scanner radio traffic showed that a vehicle identified as a Kia was pulled over in the Solano County area. Four detainees were in the vehicle at the time of the stop. Sheriff's units were heading to pick up the four detainees to bring the suspects back for processing in Sacramento County. Video that was reviewed showed that the shooting involved two separate gunmen.