Sacramento County Sheriff's Office investigators are investigating a shooting that took place on April 18 2026 at Howe Community Park while deputies were breaking up an unsanctioned gathering of a crowd of several hundred.
How It Started
Deputies were first dispatched to the park on Howe Avenue just after 6:30 PM on April 18 after getting calls of individuals possibly carrying concealed weapons. Not long after, a follow-up call was made regarding an alleged brawl taking place within the park grounds.
A sheriff's airship was sent to survey the area but was unable to locate the reported altercation. Nevertheless, authorities discovered that a massive group had gathered without authorization without official sanction.
The Dispersal and Shooting
Deputies moved to clear the area by forming a perimeter and using their vehicle PA systems telling the crowd to disperse at once. Nearly 15 minutes were allowed for the gathering to break up.
While deputies worked to disperse the gathering that between 20 and 25 rounds were fired. Gunfire sparked chaos as hundreds ran. Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies quickly more info moved to finding those who had been shot.
Those Who Were Hit
By the time the scene was secured, four individuals were discovered with shooting injuries. Those injured — made up of one woman and three men ranging in age through their in their twenties — were transported to hospitals in the Sacramento area. Doctors and nurses stated that two of the four had injuries classified as immediate, one person had injuries of a moderate nature, and one victim's wounds were minor. In a positive development, all four were expected to survive.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District provided support and helped care for those with gunshot wounds prior to hospital transport.
The Investigation
The bulk of the shooting appears to have unfolded near the Cottage Way corridor close to the local Home Depot at the 2200 block of Howe Avenue. Investigators recovered further ballistic evidence in the form of shell casings along Cottage Way. Bullet holes were noted in the wrought iron fence near the nearby Home Depot. These findings confirmed that at least one of the shooters had been aiming south from along Cottage Way in the direction of the Home Depot. The store itself was placed on lockdown during the incident. Crime scene technicians and detectives kept processing evidence well into the night.
Suspect Vehicle Located
Details gathered via scanner audio revealed that a Kia vehicle was intercepted in nearby Solano County. Four occupants were in the vehicle at the time of the stop. Sacramento law enforcement were heading to pick up the four detainees to bring the suspects back for processing in Sacramento County. Video reviewed at the scene revealed that there were two gunmen.