Officials in Sacramento County are examining a gunfire incident that broke out Saturday evening at Howe Park at the moment Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies were dispersing an unauthorized event of several hundred people.
Background
Deputies were first dispatched to Howe Park shortly before 6:30 PM after receiving reports of persons possibly in possession of concealed weapons. Following that, a follow-up call was made about a potential altercation happening within the park grounds.
A sheriff's airship was sent to survey the read more area but came back with no confirmation of a fight. Regardless, it was apparent that a massive group had packed into the park without any permit or approval.
How the Shooting Unfolded
Officers set about removing people from the park by setting up around the park's perimeter and issuing commands over loudspeakers instructing the crowd to disperse at once. Approximately 15 minutes were spent for the crowd to leave.
It was during this dispersal that upwards of 20 gunshots echoed through the night. The barrage of gunfire caused mass panic. Officers wasted no time in searching for victims.
Four Victims Hospitalized
Ultimately, four people were located with gunshot injuries. The shooting victims — including a female and three males each reported to be in their twenties — were taken to hospitals in the Sacramento area. Emergency physicians reported that two were treated for serious injuries, one victim's injuries were classified as moderate, and one person's injuries were considered minor. As of last report, no fatalities were reported and all four were stable.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire Department arrived on scene and provided medical assistance shooting victims at the scene.
Crime Scene Evidence
The bulk of the shooting seemed to have taken place on the Cottage Way corridor adjacent to the Home Depot store at the 2200 block of Howe Ave. Detectives found more spent casings on Cottage Way. Ballistic damage were observed in the metal fencing surrounding the nearby Home Depot. This ballistic evidence indicated that at least one shooter had been aiming south from along Cottage Way toward the Home Depot store. The Home Depot was secured under a brief lockdown for a period of time. CSI investigators and detectives kept processing evidence late into the evening.
Suspect Information
Details gathered through law enforcement radio communications indicated that a vehicle identified as a Kia had been stopped in Solano County. Four detainees were stopped and detained. Sacramento law enforcement were heading to pick up the four detainees to transport the detainees for questioning. Surveillance footage made clear that two separate shooters participated in the incident.