Sacramento County Sheriff's Office investigators are probing check here a violent incident that erupted late Saturday at the Howe Community Park area at the time officers were dispersing an unlawful assembly of an estimated several hundred individuals.
What Led to the Shooting
Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies were first dispatched to the Arden-Arcade park at about half past six in the evening after getting calls of people potentially armed with concealed firearms. Soon after, a follow-up call was made concerning a possible physical fight occurring at Howe Park.
An overhead unit scanned the area from the air but reported no active disturbance. Even so, it was apparent that a crowd of several hundred had gathered without authorization without authorization.
The Moment Gunfire Erupted
Officers set about removing people from the park by encircling the gathering and broadcasting over loudspeakers telling those gathered to go home. Roughly 15 minutes were given for individuals to vacate.
It was during this dispersal that between 20 and 25 rounds cut through the air. Gunfire triggered a stampede. Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies immediately began searching for victims.
The Shooting Victims
Altogether, four individuals were confirmed as gunshot victims. Those injured — comprising three men and one woman all believed to be in their 20s — were taken to local Sacramento hospitals. Emergency physicians indicated that two had critical injury classifications, one sustained moderate wounds, and one sustained minor gunshot wounds. According to authorities, each of the four victims was stable.
Sacramento fire crews assisted at the location and helped triage those with gunshot wounds at the park.
What Investigators Found
Most of the gunfire appears to have unfolded along Cottage Way adjacent to the Home Depot at the 2200 block of Howe Avenue. Detectives discovered extra shell casings throughout the Cottage Way area. Projectile impacts were noted in the iron fence surrounding the Home Depot. This evidence suggested that one of the gunmen had been shooting in a southerly direction from the Cottage Way area in the direction of the Home Depot building and parking lot. That Home Depot location was locked down while the scene was active. Crime scene technicians and detectives stayed at the location late into the evening.
Arrests Made
Intelligence received over scanner radio traffic showed that a suspect Kia had been detained in Solano County. Four detainees were taken into custody. Sacramento law enforcement were sent to retrieve the detainees to pick up those detained for processing in Sacramento County. Video evidence revealed that the shooting involved two separate gunmen.