Sacramento County Sheriff's Office investigators are looking into a shooting that click here broke out late Saturday at the Howe Community Park area at the moment law enforcement were clearing a large unauthorized gathering of an estimated several hundred individuals.
Before the Gunfire
Officers from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office were first called to the park on Howe Avenue around half past six in the evening after obtaining information of individuals who may have had concealed firearms. Following that, a second call came in about a potential altercation breaking out inside the park.
Aerial units conducted an aerial sweep but was unable to locate the reported altercation. Despite this, authorities discovered that a crowd of several hundred had gathered without authorization without authorization.
How the Shooting Unfolded
Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies worked to disperse the crowd by encircling the gathering and announcing over their public address systems directing the crowd to disperse at once. Roughly 15 minutes were allotted for the gathering to break up.
While deputies worked to disperse the gathering that an estimated 20 to 25 shots rang out. The sudden gunfire sent hundreds fleeing. Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies at once began identifying shooting victims.
The Shooting Victims
In total, four shooting victims were identified as having gunshot wounds. All four — made up of one woman and three men ranging in age through their in their twenties — were rushed to local Sacramento hospitals. Hospital staff noted that two were treated for serious injuries, one had moderate injuries, and one sustained minor gunshot wounds. Thankfully, all four were expected to survive.
Metro Fire Sacramento assisted at the location and assisted with medical triage the injured prior to hospital transport.
Physical Evidence
The center of the incident seemed to have happened near Cottage Way adjacent to the Home Depot store situated at the 2200 Howe Avenue block. Crime scene investigators recovered further ballistic evidence in the form of shell casings on the Cottage Way roadway. Bullet damage were discovered in the metal fencing bordering the Home Depot. This evidence pointed to that a second shooter had been discharging rounds toward the south from the Cottage Way area in the direction of the Home Depot store. The nearby Home Depot was temporarily locked down while law enforcement worked the area. Forensic investigators and law enforcement detectives remained on scene well into the night.
Detainees in Solano County
Details gathered via scanner audio confirmed that a Kia was pulled over in nearby Solano County. Four occupants were stopped and detained. Law enforcement units were traveling to Solano County to collect the individuals for formal questioning. Surveillance footage revealed that two separate shooters participated in the incident.