Sacramento County Sheriff's Office investigators are working a gun violence incident that occurred Saturday evening at Howe Park in Sacramento at the time authorities were breaking up an unsanctioned gathering of an estimated several hundred individuals.
How It Started
Deputies initially responded to the park on Howe Avenue just after 6:30 in the evening after getting calls of individuals who may have had concealed firearms. Following that, another report was received regarding a potential altercation occurring at Howe Park.
An overhead unit flew over the park but was unable to locate the reported altercation. Despite this, it was apparent that a massive group had congregated at Howe Park without official sanction.
When the Shots Rang Out
Law enforcement personnel started clearing the unauthorized gathering by surrounding the park and broadcasting over loudspeakers instructing the assembled crowd to disperse at once. Approximately 15 minutes were allowed for the gathering to break up.
While deputies worked to disperse the gathering that between 20 and 25 rounds were fired. The barrage of gunfire sent hundreds fleeing. Officers quickly moved to looking for those injured.
The Shooting Victims
When the dust settled, four individuals were confirmed as gunshot victims. The four individuals — a group of one female and three male victims each apparently in their early to late twenties — were brought to hospitals in the Sacramento area. Medical personnel indicated that two victims were in serious condition, one sustained moderate wounds, and one sustained minor gunshot wounds. As of last report, no fatalities were reported and all four were stable.
Sacramento fire crews provided support and helped care for the injured before they were taken to the hospital.
The Investigation
Most of the gunfire appears to have happened near Cottage Way next to the Home Depot located at the 2200 block of Howe Ave. Law enforcement investigators located additional spent rounds on the Cottage Way roadway. Round impacts were discovered in the iron fence surrounding the Home Depot store. The physical evidence indicated that at least click here one of the shooters had been aiming south from along Cottage Way in the direction of the Home Depot. The store itself was secured under a brief lockdown as a precaution. CSI investigators and detectives kept processing evidence late into the evening.
Arrests Made
Details gathered over scanner radio traffic indicated that a Kia connected to the shooting was pulled over in an area within Solano County. Four people were taken into custody. Sacramento law enforcement were traveling to Solano County to collect the individuals for further questioning. Video that was reviewed made clear that the shooting involved two separate gunmen.