Howe Park Shooting Wounds Four Victims Wounded in Sacramento County's Arden-Arcade Neighborhood

Sacramento County Sheriff's Office investigators are working a shooting that took place Saturday night April 18 at Howe Community Park in the Arden-Arcade area as Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies were dissolving a large unauthorized gathering of an estimated several hundred individuals.

What Led to the Shooting

Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies were first called to Howe Park just after 6:30 Saturday evening after being notified of individuals possibly carrying concealed weapons. Shortly after, additional information came in concerning a possible physical fight occurring at Howe Park.

Air support scanned the area from the air but was unable to locate the reported altercation. Regardless, it became clear that several hundred individuals had assembled at the park without official sanction.

The Shooting Itself

Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies started clearing the unauthorized gathering by encircling the gathering and announcing over their public address systems directing the assembled crowd to leave immediately. Roughly 15 minutes were allowed for the crowd to leave.

Just as the crowd began to move that upwards of 20 gunshots cut through the air. The rapid succession of shots sparked chaos as hundreds ran. Responding personnel wasted no time in looking for those injured.

Four Gunshot Victims

When the dust settled, four shooting victims were found to have been shot. The four individuals — comprising three men and one woman each apparently in their early to late twenties — were rushed to nearby hospitals. Medical personnel reported that two of the four had injuries classified as immediate, one person had injuries of a moderate nature, and one sustained minor gunshot wounds. As of last report, all four were expected to survive.

The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire Department assisted at the location and assisted with medical triage those who had been shot prior to hospital transport.

What Investigators Found

The center of the incident was confirmed to have been concentrated along the Cottage Way corridor adjacent to the Home Depot located at the 2200 block of Howe Ave. CSI personnel discovered additional spent rounds along Cottage Way. Bullet holes were identified in the wrought iron perimeter fencing adjacent to the Home Depot store. These findings pointed to that at least one shooter had been shooting in a southerly direction from the Cottage Way area aimed at the Home Depot building and parking lot. That Home Depot location was secured under a brief lockdown while law enforcement worked the area. Forensic investigators and law enforcement detectives remained on scene for hours.

Suspects Detained

Information obtained through Howe Park Sacramento gunfire scanner monitoring indicated that a Kia was pulled over in Solano County California. Four detainees were taken into custody. Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies were en route to collect those detained to bring the suspects back for formal questioning. Surveillance footage made clear that two shooters had been involved.