Officials in Sacramento County are investigating a gun violence incident that unfolded Saturday evening at Howe Community Park at the moment law enforcement were dissolving an unlawful assembly of several hundred people.
Background
Sacramento County law enforcement initially responded to the park shortly before 6:30 Saturday evening after obtaining information of subjects reportedly carrying hidden weapons. Soon after, additional information came in concerning a possible physical fight taking place at Howe Park.
An overhead unit searched from above but reported no active disturbance. However, it was evident that several hundred individuals had come together at the location without official sanction.
How the Shooting Unfolded
Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies moved to clear the area by forming a perimeter and announcing over their public address systems instructing the crowd to leave immediately. Nearly 15 minutes were spent for attendees to disperse.
While deputies worked to disperse the gathering that 20 to 25 gunshots echoed through the night. The sudden gunfire caused mass panic. Officers wasted no check here time in finding those who had been shot.
The Shooting Victims
In total, four victims were located with gunshot injuries. The shooting victims — comprising three men and one woman each apparently in their early to late twenties — were transported to local Sacramento hospitals. Doctors and nurses reported that two had critical injury classifications, one victim's injuries were classified as moderate, and one suffered minor injuries. In a positive development, each of the four victims was stable.
Metro Fire Sacramento assisted at the location and assisted with medical triage shooting victims at the park.
Physical Evidence
The primary shooting scene seemed to have occurred on the Cottage Way side of the park adjacent to the Home Depot on the 2200 block of Howe Ave. Law enforcement investigators identified additional spent rounds scattered along Cottage Way. Bullet damage were noted in the wrought iron perimeter fencing bordering the Home Depot. This evidence confirmed that a shooter had been firing southward from the Cottage Way area toward the Home Depot. That Home Depot location was placed on lockdown while law enforcement worked the area. CSI investigators and detectives stayed at the location late into the evening.
Suspects Detained
Reports confirmed through scanner monitoring established that a Kia connected to the shooting had been stopped in the Solano County area. Four people were in the vehicle at the time of the stop. Sheriff's units were en route to collect those detained to transport the detainees for further questioning. Video evidence confirmed that two separate shooters participated in the incident.