Officials in Sacramento County are examining a gun violence incident that occurred Saturday evening at Howe Park in Sacramento while officers were clearing an unsanctioned gathering of hundreds of attendees.
Background
Officers from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office were first called to the park on Howe Avenue shortly before half past six in the evening after learning of individuals who may have had concealed firearms. After that, additional information came in describing a potential altercation unfolding inside the park.
Aerial units scanned the area from the air but came back with no confirmation of a fight. However, deputies found that several hundred individuals had gathered without authorization without official sanction.
The Moment Gunfire Erupted
Law enforcement personnel set about removing people from the park by positioning themselves around the crowd and broadcasting over loudspeakers telling the hundreds present to clear out. Approximately 15 minutes were allotted for people to comply.
As the crowd was being cleared that upwards of 20 gunshots cut through the air. The shots sparked chaos as hundreds ran. Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies at once began locating gunshot victims.
Four Victims Hospitalized
Ultimately, four people were found to have been shot. Those injured — consisting of one woman and three men all reportedly in their 20s at the time of the incident — were taken to nearby hospitals. Medical teams reported that two were treated for serious injuries, one had moderate injuries, and one victim's wounds were minor. Fortunately, all four were expected to survive.
Sacramento fire crews provided support and aided in treating the four victims before they were taken to the hospital.
What Investigators Found
The main crime scene appears to have unfolded along the Cottage Way corridor next to the Home Depot store situated at the 2200 Sacramento park shooting 2026 block of Howe Avenue. Detectives located additional spent rounds scattered along Cottage Way. Round impacts were noted in the iron perimeter fence bordering the Home Depot. These discoveries showed that at least one of the shooters had been aiming south from the Cottage Way area in the direction of the Home Depot building and parking lot. The nearby Home Depot was put under lockdown while law enforcement worked the area. CSI units alongside detectives stayed at the location throughout the night.
Suspect Vehicle Located
Information obtained over scanner radio traffic revealed that a vehicle identified as a Kia was contacted by law enforcement in Solano County California. Four suspects were held for questioning. Law enforcement units were heading to pick up the four detainees to return them to Sacramento for further questioning. Footage analyzed by investigators showed that two individuals had fired weapons.