Sacramento County Sheriff's Office investigators are investigating Cottage Way shooting Sacramento a gun violence incident that erupted on the evening of April 18 at Howe Community Park while Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies were shutting down an unsanctioned gathering of multiple hundreds of people.
Background
Law enforcement initially responded to the park at approximately 6:30 PM after learning of subjects reportedly carrying hidden weapons. After that, a follow-up call was made mentioning a potential altercation taking place near the park.
A sheriff's airship flew over the park but reported no active disturbance. Even so, it was apparent that an enormous crowd had gathered without authorization in an unauthorized manner.
When the Shots Rang Out
Deputies worked to disperse the crowd by surrounding the park and broadcasting over loudspeakers directing the hundreds present to go home. Approximately 15 minutes were given for people to comply.
While deputies worked to disperse the gathering that 20 to 25 rounds of ammunition were fired. The sudden gunfire sent hundreds fleeing. Law enforcement wasted no time in locating gunshot victims.
Four Gunshot Victims
When the dust settled, four shooting victims were located with gunshot injuries. The shooting victims — consisting of one woman and three men all reportedly in their 20s — were brought to hospitals in the Sacramento area. Medical personnel reported that two victims were in serious condition, one sustained moderate wounds, and one person's injuries were considered minor. Thankfully, all four victims survived and were stable.
Sacramento Metro Fire assisted at the location and helped care for the four victims on location.
The Investigation
The center of the incident was confirmed to have taken place along Cottage Way alongside the Home Depot store at the 2200 Howe Avenue block. Investigators recovered more spent casings along Cottage Way. Ballistic damage were identified in the wrought iron perimeter fencing adjacent to the Home Depot. This ballistic evidence pointed to that one of the gunmen had been sending rounds south from Cottage Way in the direction of the Home Depot. The nearby Home Depot was locked down for a period of time. Crime scene technicians and detectives kept processing evidence for hours.
Arrests Made
Information obtained through scanner monitoring revealed that a Kia vehicle was contacted by law enforcement in nearby Solano County. Four individuals were held for questioning. Sheriff's units were traveling to Solano County to bring the suspects back for processing in Sacramento County. Surveillance footage confirmed that there were two gunmen.