Sacramento County deputies are probing a gunfire incident that erupted Saturday evening at Howe Community Park at the moment deputies were dispersing a large unauthorized gathering of several hundred people.
Before the Gunfire
Officers from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office were first dispatched to Howe Community Park at about half past six in the evening after receiving reports of individuals possibly carrying concealed weapons. Not long after, a second call came in concerning a potential altercation happening inside the park.
Aerial units searched from above but found nothing to substantiate the fight report. Despite this, deputies found that a massive group had come together at the location without permission.
The Shooting Itself
Responding units worked to disperse the crowd by setting up around the park's perimeter and using their vehicle PA systems ordering the hundreds present to clear out. Nearly 15 minutes were spent for individuals to vacate.
It was during this dispersal that 20 to 25 gunshots rang out. Gunfire sent hundreds fleeing. Deputies swiftly started locating gunshot victims.
Four Victims Hospitalized
When the dust settled, four individuals were identified as having gunshot wounds. The four individuals — comprising three men and one woman ranging in age through their in their 20s at the time of the incident — were brought to Sacramento area hospitals. Medical personnel confirmed that two were treated for serious injuries, one of the four had moderate gunshot wounds, and one had injuries classified as minor. According to authorities, no fatalities were reported and all four were stable.
Metro Fire Sacramento arrived on scene and aided in treating the injured prior to hospital transport.
The Investigation
The primary shooting scene seemed to have taken place near the Cottage Way side of the park close to the Home Depot situated at the 2200 block of Howe Ave. Law enforcement investigators recovered additional spent rounds throughout the Cottage Way area. Projectile impacts were also found in the wrought iron perimeter fencing near the Home Depot. These discoveries suggested that a second shooter had been sending rounds south from the Cottage Way area targeting the Home Depot. That Home Depot location was put under lockdown while the scene was active. CSI investigators and detectives remained on scene through the early morning hours.
Arrests Made
Reports confirmed over scanner radio traffic confirmed that a Kia connected to the shooting had been stopped in Solano County. Four website occupants were held for questioning. Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies were traveling to Solano County to collect the individuals for formal questioning. Footage analyzed by investigators established that there were two gunmen.