Violence at Howe Community Park Leaves 4 People Shot in the Arden-Arcade Section of Sacramento County

Sacramento County Sheriff's Office investigators are probing a shooting incident that broke out Saturday evening at Howe Park in Sacramento just as officers were dispersing an unauthorized event of several hundred people.

What Led to the Shooting

Sacramento County law enforcement initially got calls about the Arden-Arcade park around 6:30 PM after getting calls of subjects reportedly carrying hidden weapons. Not long after, another report was received regarding a possible physical fight breaking out at Howe Park.

Air support scanned the area from the air but reported no active disturbance. Even so, it was evident that several hundred individuals had gathered without authorization without official sanction.

The Dispersal and Shooting

Officers began the process of clearing the park by forming a perimeter and announcing over their public address systems telling attendees to leave immediately. Roughly 15 minutes were provided for individuals to vacate.

While deputies worked to disperse the gathering that between 20 and 25 rounds were discharged. The shots sparked chaos as hundreds ran. Deputies at once began finding those who had been shot.

Four People Shot

By the time the scene was secured, four shooting victims were identified as having gunshot wounds. The victims — consisting of one woman and three men ranging in age through their in their twenties — were brought to area medical facilities. Medical teams reported that two of the four had injuries classified as immediate, one victim's injuries were classified as moderate, and one had injuries classified as minor. As of last report, each of the four victims was stable.

The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire Department arrived click here on scene and provided medical assistance shooting victims at the park.

Physical Evidence

The center of the incident was confirmed to have unfolded near the Cottage Way corridor near the Home Depot at the 2200 block of Howe Avenue. Detectives found further ballistic evidence in the form of shell casings throughout the Cottage Way area. Projectile impacts were discovered in the wrought iron perimeter fencing alongside the Home Depot. These discoveries indicated that at least one of the shooters had been shooting in a southerly direction from the Cottage Way area targeting the Home Depot store. That Home Depot location was temporarily locked down during the incident. CSI units alongside detectives continued working throughout the night.

Suspects Detained

Information obtained over police scanner frequencies indicated that a vehicle identified as a Kia had been stopped in the Solano County area. Four detainees were in the vehicle at the time of the stop. Sheriff's units were sent to retrieve the detainees to collect the individuals for questioning. Footage analyzed by investigators confirmed that there were two gunmen.