Sacramento County Sheriff's Office investigators are looking into a gun violence incident that erupted Saturday night April 18 at Howe Community Park in the Arden-Arcade area while Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies were breaking up a large unauthorized gathering of multiple hundreds of people.
Before the Gunfire
Law enforcement were first dispatched to the Arden-Arcade park at approximately 6:30 PM on April 18 after getting calls of individuals who may have had concealed firearms. Shortly after, additional information came in about an alleged brawl occurring inside the park.
Aerial units conducted an aerial sweep but came back with no confirmation of a fight. However, it became clear that hundreds of people had congregated at Howe Park without any permit or approval.
How the Shooting Unfolded
Responding units started clearing the unauthorized gathering by encircling the gathering and making announcements directing the hundreds present to go home. About 15 minutes were allotted for the gathering to break up.
Just as the crowd began to move that 20 to 25 rounds of ammunition were fired. Gunfire sparked chaos as hundreds ran. Law enforcement quickly moved to finding those who had been shot.
Those Who Were Hit
By the time the scene was secured, four people were identified as having gunshot wounds. The four individuals — made up of one woman and three men each reported to be in their mid to late twenties — were taken to Sacramento area hospitals. Medical teams indicated that two victims sustained immediate injuries, one of the four had moderate gunshot wounds, and one person's injuries were considered minor. Fortunately, all four were in stable condition.
Sacramento fire crews were called to the scene and provided medical assistance shooting victims before they were taken to the hospital.
Crime Scene Evidence
Most of the gunfire was confirmed to have taken place adjacent to the Cottage Way corridor alongside the Home Depot located at the 2200 Howe Avenue block. Crime scene investigators recovered click here additional shell casings on the Cottage Way roadway. Bullet holes were observed in the wrought iron perimeter fencing surrounding the Home Depot store. These findings confirmed that at least one of the shooters had been shooting in a southerly direction from the Cottage Way area toward the Home Depot. The store itself was secured under a brief lockdown as a precaution. CSI units alongside detectives stayed at the location late into the evening.
Arrests Made
Details gathered through law enforcement radio communications revealed that a Kia had been stopped in nearby Solano County. Four individuals were detained. Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies were en route to collect those detained to pick up those detained for investigation. Video reviewed at the scene revealed that two shooters had been involved.