Sacramento County deputies are investigating a shooting incident that occurred Saturday night April 18 at Howe Community Park at the moment Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies were dispersing a large unsanctioned party of hundreds of attendees.
Background
Officers from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office were first called to the park on Howe Avenue around 6:30 Saturday evening after receiving reports of individuals possibly carrying concealed weapons. Not long after, a follow-up call was made regarding a reported physical confrontation occurring at the location.
A sheriff's airship scanned the area from the air but was unable to locate the reported altercation. Even so, authorities discovered that an enormous crowd had packed into the park without official sanction.
The Dispersal and Shooting
Officers worked to disperse the crowd by setting up around the park's perimeter and broadcasting over loudspeakers directing those gathered to vacate the area. Roughly 15 minutes were provided for people to comply.
It was during this dispersal that between 20 and 25 rounds rang out. The sudden gunfire sent hundreds fleeing. Responding personnel quickly moved to locating gunshot victims.
Four Gunshot Victims
Ultimately, four gunshot victims were identified as having gunshot wounds. All four — including a female and three males each apparently in their 20s — were taken to Sacramento area hospitals. Doctors and nurses reported that two were treated for serious injuries, one victim's injuries were classified as moderate, and one suffered minor injuries. Thankfully, no fatalities were reported and all four were stable.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District provided support and helped triage those with gunshot wounds at the scene.
Crime Scene Evidence
The center of the incident was determined to have been concentrated along Cottage Way next to the Home Depot situated at the 2200 block of Howe Ave. Investigators identified additional shell casings throughout the Cottage Way area. Bullet holes were identified in the iron perimeter fence alongside the nearby Home Depot. This ballistic evidence confirmed that a shooter had been aiming south from along Cottage Way targeting the Home Depot. The Home Depot was temporarily locked down while the scene was active. Crime scene personnel continued working well into Arden Arcade Sacramento crime 2026 the night.
Suspects Detained
Information obtained via scanner audio indicated that a vehicle identified as a Kia was contacted by law enforcement in the Solano County area. Four suspects were stopped and detained. Deputies were en route to collect those detained to transport the detainees for processing in Sacramento County. Surveillance footage revealed that two individuals had fired weapons.