Officials in Sacramento County are examining a shooting incident that took place on the evening of April 18 at Howe Park as authorities were shutting down an unlawful assembly of a crowd of several hundred.
Background
Law enforcement first arrived at Howe Park at approximately 6:30 PM after obtaining information of individuals who may have had concealed firearms. Soon after, a second caller reported mentioning a possible fight happening near the park.
A sheriff's airship searched from above but reported no active disturbance. Nevertheless, it was evident that several hundred individuals had assembled at the park in an unauthorized manner.
The Moment Gunfire Erupted
Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies worked to disperse the crowd by positioning themselves around the crowd and issuing commands over loudspeakers commanding the crowd to go home. Roughly 15 minutes were allowed for the crowd to leave.
Just as the crowd began to move that upwards of 20 gunshots were discharged. Gunfire caused mass panic. Officers wasted no time in searching for victims.
Those Who Were Hit
In total, four victims were discovered with shooting injuries. The shooting victims — consisting of one woman and three men each apparently in their twenties — were brought to nearby hospitals. Medical teams noted that two victims were in serious condition, one had moderate injuries, and one victim's wounds were minor. Thankfully, all four were in stable condition.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire Department provided support and assisted with medical triage those who had been shot before they were taken to the hospital.
Evidence at the Scene
The primary shooting scene read more seemed to have occurred adjacent to the Cottage Way corridor close to the Home Depot store on the 2200 block of Howe Avenue. Crime scene investigators identified further ballistic evidence in the form of shell casings on Cottage Way. Bullet holes were discovered in the iron fence near the Home Depot store. These discoveries showed that at least one of the shooters had been discharging rounds toward the south from the Cottage Way area toward the Home Depot store. The Home Depot was locked down while law enforcement worked the area. Crime scene technicians and detectives worked tirelessly through the early morning hours.
Suspect Information
Intelligence received through scanner monitoring revealed that a Kia was contacted by law enforcement in Solano County California. Four people were taken into custody. Sheriff's units were en route to collect those detained to bring the suspects back for formal questioning. Video evidence showed that there were two gunmen.