Chaos at Howe Community Park Results in Multiple Gunshot Victims in the Arden-Arcade Area of Sacramento

Law enforcement in Sacramento are examining a gunfire incident that took place Saturday night April 18 at Howe Park at the time deputies were clearing an unlawful assembly of multiple hundreds of people.

Before the Gunfire

Deputies initially got calls about the park shortly before 6:30 PM after obtaining information of individuals who may have had concealed firearms. Following that, a follow-up call was made describing an alleged brawl breaking out within the park grounds.

An overhead unit was sent to survey the area but was unable to locate the reported altercation. Even so, deputies found that a massive group had assembled at the park without authorization.

The Shooting Itself

Officers worked to disperse the crowd by encircling the gathering and broadcasting over loudspeakers directing the hundreds present to go home. About 15 minutes were allowed for people to comply.

At the height of the dispersal effort that 20 to 25 gunshots rang out. Gunfire sent hundreds fleeing. Deputies wasted no time in locating gunshot victims.

Four Gunshot Victims

When the dust settled, four people were located with gunshot injuries. All four — made up of one woman and three men all believed to be in their mid to late twenties — were transported to hospitals in the Sacramento area. Medical teams reported that two were treated for serious injuries, one person had injuries of a moderate nature, and one sustained minor gunshot wounds. In a positive development, all four were in stable condition.

Sacramento Metro Fire arrived on scene and provided medical assistance the four victims at the scene.

Physical Evidence

Most of the gunfire was determined to have been concentrated along the Cottage Way side of the park alongside the Home Depot store located at the 2200 block of Howe Ave. Law enforcement investigators found extra shell casings scattered along Cottage Way. Projectile impacts were noted in the wrought iron perimeter fencing near the Home Depot store. The physical evidence showed that one of the gunmen had been aiming south from the Cottage Way area targeting the Home Depot building and parking lot. The Home Depot was read more put under lockdown as a precaution. CSI units alongside detectives continued working throughout the night.

Suspect Information

Information relayed over scanner radio traffic showed that a Kia connected to the shooting was pulled over in the Solano County area. Four occupants were detained. Deputies were sent to retrieve the detainees to return them to Sacramento for processing in Sacramento County. Footage analyzed by investigators made clear that the shooting involved two separate gunmen.