Sacramento County Sheriff's Office investigators are working a violent incident that unfolded on the evening of April 18 at Howe Community Park in the Arden-Arcade area at the time law enforcement were shutting down an unlawful assembly of an estimated several hundred individuals.
Before the Gunfire
Deputies initially got calls about the Arden-Arcade park just after 6:30 Saturday evening after obtaining information of individuals who may have had concealed firearms. Not long after, a second call came in mentioning a potential altercation taking place within the park grounds.
A law enforcement helicopter searched from above but was unable to locate the reported altercation. Nevertheless, authorities discovered that an enormous crowd had assembled at the more info park without official sanction.
The Shooting Itself
Law enforcement personnel began the process of clearing the park by encircling the gathering and making announcements commanding the crowd to clear out. Approximately 15 minutes were given for people to comply.
Just as the crowd began to move that upwards of 20 gunshots rang out. The shots caused mass panic. Deputies at once began looking for those injured.
Four People Shot
Ultimately, four shooting victims were found to have been shot. All four — including a female and three males each apparently in their 20s at the time of the incident — were transported to local Sacramento hospitals. Hospital staff stated that two of the four had injuries classified as immediate, one sustained moderate wounds, and one person's injuries were considered minor. Fortunately, no fatalities were reported and all four were stable.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire Department assisted at the location and assisted with medical triage those who had been shot at the park.
The Investigation
Most of the gunfire was determined to have been concentrated along the Cottage Way corridor alongside the local Home Depot located at the 2200 block of Howe Avenue. Investigators recovered additional shell casings on the Cottage Way roadway. Bullet holes were noted in the wrought iron perimeter fencing bordering the nearby Home Depot. These discoveries indicated that a second shooter had been shooting in a southerly direction from the Cottage Way area toward the Home Depot. The store itself was put under lockdown while law enforcement worked the area. CSI units alongside detectives remained on scene for hours.
Suspect Information
Information obtained through scanner monitoring revealed that a vehicle identified as a Kia was contacted by law enforcement in an area within Solano County. Four occupants were taken into custody. Sheriff's units were en route to collect those detained to return them to Sacramento for investigation. Video evidence showed that two separate shooters participated in the incident.