Sacramento authorities are investigating a gunfire incident that unfolded Saturday evening at Howe Park at the moment officers were clearing a website large unsanctioned party of several hundred people.
Background
Sacramento County law enforcement were first called to the park just after 6:30 Saturday evening after receiving reports of individuals who may have had concealed firearms. Shortly after, a follow-up call was made regarding an alleged brawl breaking out near the park.
A law enforcement helicopter flew over the park but reported no active disturbance. Nevertheless, it was evident that several hundred individuals had packed into the park without official sanction.
The Moment Gunfire Erupted
Responding units started clearing the unauthorized gathering by positioning themselves around the crowd and issuing commands over loudspeakers commanding attendees to vacate the area. About 15 minutes were allotted for the gathering to break up.
As the crowd was being cleared that 20 to 25 gunshots were discharged. The rapid succession of shots sent the crowd running in all directions. Responding personnel wasted no time in locating gunshot victims.
Four Gunshot Victims
Altogether, four victims were confirmed as gunshot victims. Those injured — consisting of one woman and three men each apparently in their 20s — were brought to area medical facilities. Doctors and nurses noted that two had critical injury classifications, one person had injuries of a moderate nature, and one had injuries classified as minor. As of last report, all four were expected to survive.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire Department assisted at the location and assisted with medical triage shooting victims at the park.
What Investigators Found
Most of the gunfire was determined to have happened on the Cottage Way corridor alongside the Home Depot store at the 2200 block of Howe Avenue. CSI personnel located additional shell casings throughout the Cottage Way area. Projectile impacts were also found in the iron fence alongside the Home Depot. This evidence showed that at least one shooter had been discharging rounds toward the south from the Cottage Way area in the direction of the Home Depot. That Home Depot location was placed on lockdown while the scene was active. CSI investigators and detectives stayed at the location late into the evening.
Suspect Vehicle Located
Information relayed through law enforcement radio communications showed that a Kia was contacted by law enforcement in nearby Solano County. Four detainees were detained. Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies were dispatched to Solano County to return them to Sacramento for processing in Sacramento County. Surveillance footage showed that two separate shooters participated in the incident.