Officials in Sacramento County are investigating a shooting that erupted late Saturday at the Howe Community Park area at the time officers were dissolving a large unsanctioned party of hundreds of attendees.
What Led to the Shooting
Law enforcement initially got calls about the park at approximately 6:30 in the evening after receiving reports of people potentially armed with concealed firearms. Not long after, a second caller reported mentioning a reported physical confrontation occurring inside the park.
Air support flew over the park but could not confirm any ongoing fight. Regardless, deputies found that a massive group had assembled at the park without official sanction.
The Moment Gunfire Erupted
Deputies started clearing the unauthorized gathering by surrounding the park and making announcements instructing the hundreds present to disperse at once. Roughly 15 minutes were spent for attendees to disperse.
As the crowd was being cleared that between 20 and 25 rounds echoed through the night. The sudden gunfire triggered a stampede. Officers at once began searching for victims.
Four Gunshot Victims
In total, four people were identified as having gunshot wounds. The shooting victims — made up of one woman and three men all reportedly in their 20s — were taken to area medical facilities. Hospital staff confirmed that two had critical injury classifications, one person had injuries of a moderate nature, and one person's injuries were considered minor. As of last report, all four victims survived and were stable.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire Department also responded and provided medical assistance the injured at the scene.
What Investigators Found
The primary shooting scene was confirmed to have occurred near the Cottage Way side of the park close to the local Home Depot located at the 2200 block of Howe Ave. Detectives found extra shell casings on Cottage Way. Ballistic damage were observed in the iron perimeter fence bordering the Home Depot store. This ballistic evidence pointed to that a second shooter had been aiming south from Cottage Way in the direction of the Home Depot store. That Home Depot location was Cottage Way shooting Sacramento placed on lockdown for a period of time. CSI units alongside detectives worked tirelessly throughout the night.
Suspects Detained
Information obtained through law enforcement radio communications showed that a suspect Kia was intercepted in Solano County California. Four occupants were in the vehicle at the time of the stop. Sheriff's units were en route to collect those detained to bring the suspects back for investigation. Video evidence revealed that two separate shooters participated in the incident.