Sacramento County deputies are working a shooting that erupted Saturday evening at Howe Park as law enforcement were dispersing an unsanctioned gathering of several hundred people.
Before the Gunfire
Deputies were first called to Howe Community Park at approximately 6:30 in the evening after getting calls of people potentially armed with concealed firearms. Following that, a second caller reported describing a possible physical fight taking place at Howe Park.
A law enforcement helicopter was sent to survey the area but came back with no confirmation of a fight. Regardless, deputies found that a massive group had packed into the park without authorization.
The Moment Gunfire Erupted
Officers worked to disperse the crowd by positioning themselves around the crowd and making announcements directing the crowd to clear out. Nearly 15 minutes were allowed for individuals to vacate.
While deputies worked to disperse the gathering that between 20 and 25 rounds rang out. The barrage of gunfire caused mass panic. Law enforcement at once began locating gunshot victims.
Those Who Were Hit
In total, four shooting victims were located with gunshot injuries. Those injured — a group of one female and three male victims all reportedly in their 20s — were brought to area medical facilities. Medical teams indicated that two of the four had injuries classified as immediate, one victim's injuries were classified as moderate, and one person's injuries were considered minor. Fortunately, no fatalities were reported and all four were stable.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District arrived on scene and helped triage the four victims at the park.
Crime Scene Evidence
The center of the incident was believed to website have been concentrated near the Cottage Way side of the park alongside the Home Depot at the 2200 Howe Avenue block. Investigators located additional shell casings along Cottage Way. Projectile impacts were observed in the metal fencing near the nearby Home Depot. These findings confirmed that a shooter had been sending rounds south from along Cottage Way aimed at the Home Depot. The Home Depot was temporarily locked down during the incident. Forensic investigators and law enforcement detectives remained on scene throughout the night.
Detainees in Solano County
Details gathered through scanner monitoring indicated that a Kia connected to the shooting was pulled over in an area within Solano County. Four individuals were stopped and detained. Sheriff's units were heading to pick up the four detainees to bring the suspects back for processing in Sacramento County. Video evidence confirmed that two separate shooters participated in the incident.