Gunfire Erupts at Howe Park Sends 4 People Shot in Sacramento County's Arden-Arcade Neighborhood

Officials in Sacramento County are probing a gun violence incident that took place Saturday evening at Howe Community Park in the Arden-Arcade area while deputies were breaking up an unlawful assembly of an estimated several hundred individuals.

Prior to the Home Depot Sacramento shooting Shooting

Law enforcement were first dispatched to the park shortly before 6:30 PM after being notified of subjects reportedly carrying hidden weapons. Shortly after, another report was received describing a reported physical confrontation happening near the park.

Aerial units conducted an aerial sweep but was unable to locate the reported altercation. Nevertheless, it was evident that hundreds of people had packed into the park in an unauthorized manner.

When the Shots Rang Out

Officers set about removing people from the park by forming a perimeter and making announcements telling the hundreds present to leave immediately. Nearly 15 minutes were provided for the crowd to leave.

As the crowd was being cleared that between 20 and 25 rounds were fired. The barrage of gunfire sent hundreds fleeing. Responding personnel quickly moved to finding those who had been shot.

The Shooting Victims

By the time the scene was secured, four gunshot victims were confirmed as gunshot victims. Those injured — a group of one female and three male victims all believed to be in their mid to late twenties — were taken to local Sacramento hospitals. Medical personnel noted that two victims sustained immediate injuries, one person had injuries of a moderate nature, and one victim's wounds were minor. In a positive development, each of the four victims was stable.

Sacramento Metro Fire also responded and helped triage those who had been shot prior to hospital transport.

The Investigation

Most of the gunfire was confirmed to have occurred on the Cottage Way corridor alongside the Home Depot situated at the 2200 block of Howe Avenue. CSI personnel discovered further ballistic evidence in the form of shell casings throughout the Cottage Way area. Projectile impacts were also found in the iron perimeter fence bordering the Home Depot. This evidence indicated that at least one shooter had been aiming south from along Cottage Way aimed at the Home Depot building and parking lot. The nearby Home Depot was temporarily locked down while the scene was active. CSI investigators and detectives remained on scene for hours.

Detainees in Solano County

Intelligence received through law enforcement radio communications showed that a Kia connected to the shooting had been detained in the Solano County area. Four detainees were in the vehicle at the time of the stop. Sacramento law enforcement were traveling to Solano County to collect the individuals for formal questioning. Footage analyzed by investigators confirmed that two individuals had fired weapons.