Officials in Sacramento County are working a gunfire incident that occurred on the evening of April 18 at Howe Park in Sacramento as authorities were breaking up a large unsanctioned party of several hundred people.
What Led to the Shooting
Officers from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office initially got calls about the park on Howe Avenue just after half past six in the evening after getting calls of people potentially armed with concealed firearms. Not long after, another report was received concerning an alleged brawl occurring near the park.
An overhead unit scanned the area from the air but was unable to locate the reported altercation. Regardless, it was apparent that a massive group had congregated at Howe Park without authorization.
The Dispersal and Shooting
Officers set about removing people from the park by surrounding the park and using their vehicle PA systems directing the assembled crowd to go home. About 15 minutes were allowed for the gathering to break up.
At the height of the dispersal effort that 20 to 25 rounds of ammunition cut through the air. The rapid succession of shots sent hundreds fleeing. Deputies quickly moved to identifying shooting victims.
Four People Shot
In total, four individuals were located with gunshot injuries. Sacramento park shooting 2026 The victims — made up of one woman and three men each apparently in their 20s at the time of the incident — were taken to local Sacramento hospitals. Hospital staff reported that two victims were in serious condition, one sustained moderate wounds, and one person's injuries were considered minor. According to authorities, each of the four victims was stable.
Metro Fire Sacramento assisted at the location and helped triage those with gunshot wounds at the park.
The Investigation
The bulk of the shooting appears to have been concentrated adjacent to the Cottage Way corridor close to the local Home Depot at the 2200 block of Howe Ave. Law enforcement investigators recovered further ballistic evidence in the form of shell casings on the Cottage Way roadway. Bullet damage were noted in the wrought iron perimeter fencing surrounding the Home Depot. This ballistic evidence indicated that a shooter had been shooting in a southerly direction from Cottage Way targeting the Home Depot. The store itself was secured under a brief lockdown for a period of time. Crime scene technicians and detectives stayed at the location for hours.
Suspect Vehicle Located
Details gathered over scanner radio traffic revealed that a Kia vehicle was intercepted in an area within Solano County. Four people were detained. Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies were traveling to Solano County to return them to Sacramento for processing in Sacramento County. Video that was reviewed confirmed that two individuals had fired weapons.