Sacramento County Sheriff's Office investigators are looking into a shooting that unfolded on April 18 2026 at Howe Community Park while officers were dissolving an unsanctioned gathering of several hundred people.
Prior to the Shooting
Deputies first arrived at the Arden-Arcade park at about 6:30 in the evening after learning of people potentially armed with concealed firearms. Not long after, additional information came in mentioning an alleged brawl happening at the location.
An overhead unit was sent to survey the area but reported no active disturbance. Nevertheless, it was apparent that several hundred individuals had gathered without authorization without official sanction.
The Dispersal and Shooting
Officers began the process of clearing the park by positioning themselves around the crowd and making announcements directing the assembled crowd to clear out. Approximately 15 minutes were spent for the crowd to leave.
Just as the crowd began to move that 20 to 25 gunshots were discharged. The shots sparked chaos as hundreds ran. Law enforcement wasted no time in finding those who had been shot.
Four Gunshot Victims
By the time the scene was secured, four people were found to have been shot. The shooting victims — consisting of one woman and three men all believed to be in their 20s — were transported to local Sacramento hospitals. Hospital staff confirmed that two of the four had injuries classified as immediate, one of the four had moderate gunshot wounds, and one victim's wounds were minor. Thankfully, no fatalities were reported and all four were stable.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District provided support and helped triage shooting victims before they were taken to the hospital.
Evidence at the Scene
The main crime scene was believed to have been concentrated on the Cottage Way corridor near the Home Depot at the 2200 block of Howe Ave. Law enforcement investigators recovered additional shell casings scattered along Cottage Way. Ballistic damage were also found in the metal fencing near the Home Depot store. The physical evidence confirmed that a shooter had been aiming south from along Cottage Way aimed at the Home Depot. The store itself was placed on lockdown during the incident. CSI units alongside detectives stayed at the location through the early morning hours.
Suspects Detained
Details gathered over scanner radio traffic revealed that a suspect Kia had been detained in Solano County California. Four individuals were detained. Deputies were en route to collect those detained read more to return them to Sacramento for questioning. Surveillance footage revealed that two separate shooters participated in the incident.