Sacramento authorities are working a shooting incident that took place on the evening of April 18 at Howe Park in Sacramento as deputies were dispersing an unsanctioned gathering of multiple hundreds of people.
Background
Officers from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office were first called to the Arden-Arcade park at approximately 6:30 Saturday evening after getting calls of individuals possibly carrying concealed weapons. Shortly after, another report was received mentioning a possible fight taking place within the park grounds.
An overhead unit conducted an aerial sweep but found nothing to substantiate the fight report. However, it became clear that several hundred individuals had gathered without authorization without official sanction.
How the Shooting Unfolded
Officers worked to disperse the crowd by forming a perimeter and using their vehicle PA systems instructing the hundreds present to disperse at once. Roughly 15 minutes were allotted for attendees to disperse.
It was during this dispersal that 20 to 25 rounds of ammunition rang out. The barrage of gunfire sent hundreds fleeing. Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies quickly moved to finding those who had been shot.
Four People Shot
When the dust settled, four shooting victims were identified as having gunshot wounds. All four — a group of one female and three male victims each reported to be in their 20s at the time of the incident — were transported to area medical facilities. Doctors and nurses noted that two of the four had injuries classified as immediate, one sustained moderate wounds, and one sustained website minor gunshot wounds. According to authorities, all four victims survived and were stable.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire Department were called to the scene and helped care for the four victims on location.
What Investigators Found
The primary shooting scene was determined to have been concentrated on Cottage Way close to the Home Depot on the 2200 block of Howe Ave. CSI personnel discovered additional shell casings on Cottage Way. Projectile impacts were identified in the metal fencing surrounding the Home Depot store. This evidence indicated that a shooter had been discharging rounds toward the south from the Cottage Way area toward the Home Depot building and parking lot. The store itself was temporarily locked down for a period of time. CSI investigators and detectives continued working throughout the night.
Detainees in Solano County
Intelligence received through scanner monitoring confirmed that a Kia vehicle had been detained in Solano County. Four individuals were in the vehicle at the time of the stop. Deputies were traveling to Solano County to transport the detainees for further questioning. Video evidence revealed that two individuals had fired weapons.