Officials in Sacramento County are investigating a shooting that occurred late Saturday at Howe Community Park at the moment authorities were dissolving a large unsanctioned party of hundreds of attendees.
Background
Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies first arrived at the park on Howe Avenue at approximately half past six in the evening after getting calls of people potentially armed with concealed firearms. Following that, a second call came in concerning a possible fight happening near the park.
Air support was sent to survey the area but found nothing to substantiate the fight report. Nevertheless, it became clear that hundreds of people had come together at the location without permission.
The Shooting Itself
Law enforcement personnel set about removing people from the park by surrounding the park and announcing over their public address systems instructing attendees to vacate the area. Around 15 minutes were allotted for the crowd to leave.
At the height of the dispersal effort that 20 to 25 rounds of ammunition rang out. The barrage of gunfire triggered a stampede. Deputies quickly moved to searching for victims.
The Shooting Victims
In total, four people were discovered with shooting injuries. All four — including a female and three males each reported to be in their early to late twenties — were rushed to Sacramento area hospitals. Medical personnel noted that two victims were in serious condition, one victim's injuries were classified as moderate, and one had injuries classified as minor. Thankfully, each of the four victims was stable.
Metro Fire Sacramento assisted at the location and helped triage those who had been shot prior to hospital transport.
Crime Scene Evidence
The main crime scene appears to have been concentrated along Cottage Way alongside the local Home Depot located at the 2200 Howe Avenue block. Crime scene investigators found more spent casings scattered along Cottage Way. Ballistic damage were also found in the wrought iron perimeter website fencing alongside the Home Depot store. These findings suggested that at least one shooter had been aiming south from the Cottage Way area aimed at the Home Depot store. That Home Depot location was put under lockdown for a period of time. CSI units alongside detectives stayed at the location well into the night.
Detainees in Solano County
Information relayed over police scanner frequencies showed that a Kia connected to the shooting was contacted by law enforcement in the Solano County area. Four people were detained. Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies were traveling to Solano County to pick up those detained for processing in Sacramento County. Video reviewed at the scene confirmed that two shooters had been involved.