Sacramento County Sheriff's Office investigators are looking into a violent incident that took place Saturday evening at the Howe Community Park area while deputies were breaking up a large unsanctioned party of several hundred people.
Prior to the Shooting
Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies first arrived at the Arden-Arcade park shortly before 6:30 in the evening after getting calls of individuals who may have had concealed firearms. Following that, additional information came in regarding a potential altercation breaking out inside the park.
Aerial units conducted an aerial sweep but found nothing to substantiate the fight report. Nevertheless, authorities discovered that hundreds of people had packed into the park without permission.
The Dispersal and Shooting
Law enforcement personnel began the process of clearing the park by forming a perimeter and using their vehicle PA systems ordering the hundreds present to go home. Around 15 minutes were allotted for attendees to disperse.
It was during this dispersal that upwards of 20 gunshots echoed through the night. The sudden gunfire sent the crowd running in all directions. Law enforcement at once began locating gunshot victims.
The Shooting Victims
Ultimately, four people were identified as having gunshot wounds. All four — made up of one woman and three men each apparently in their 20s at the time of the incident — were taken to nearby hospitals. Emergency physicians indicated that two were treated for serious injuries, one had moderate injuries, and one person's injuries were considered minor. According to authorities, all four were in stable condition.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire Department were called to the scene and assisted with medical triage the four victims at the scene.
What Investigators Found
The center of the incident appears to have taken place near the Cottage Way corridor next to the Home Depot store website situated at the 2200 block of Howe Avenue. Investigators located additional spent rounds along Cottage Way. Ballistic damage were observed in the iron perimeter fence bordering the Home Depot store. The physical evidence showed that a second shooter had been firing southward from Cottage Way aimed at the Home Depot store. The Home Depot was secured under a brief lockdown as a precaution. Crime scene personnel continued working throughout the night.
Suspects Detained
Details gathered through scanner monitoring indicated that a Kia vehicle was intercepted in Solano County. Four individuals were in the vehicle at the time of the stop. Law enforcement units were sent to retrieve the detainees to transport the detainees for investigation. Video that was reviewed showed that there were two gunmen.