Sacramento County deputies are investigating a shooting that broke out on April 18 2026 at Howe Community Park while Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies were breaking up a large unauthorized gathering of multiple hundreds of people.
Before the Gunfire
Law enforcement were first dispatched to Howe Community Park at about 6:30 PM after getting calls of people potentially armed with concealed firearms. Soon after, a second caller reported about a possible physical fight breaking out at the location.
Air support flew over the park but came back with no confirmation of a fight. However, it was evident that an enormous crowd had assembled at the park without any permit or approval.
How the Shooting Unfolded
Officers moved to clear the area by surrounding the park and making announcements ordering the crowd to leave immediately. About 15 minutes were given for the gathering to break up.
As the crowd was being cleared that 20 to 25 rounds of ammunition echoed through the night. The barrage of gunfire caused mass panic. Deputies quickly moved to looking for those injured.
Those Who Were Hit
When the dust settled, four individuals were discovered with shooting injuries. The shooting victims — including a female and three males each apparently in their twenties — were airlifted or driven to hospitals in the Sacramento area. Doctors and nurses reported that two had critical injury classifications, one of the four had moderate gunshot wounds, and one victim's wounds were minor. As of last report, each of the four victims was stable.
The Sacramento Metropolitan get more info Fire Department also responded and helped triage the four victims before they were taken to the hospital.
The Investigation
The main crime scene appears to have taken place on the Cottage Way side of the park close to the local Home Depot on the 2200 block of Howe Avenue. Investigators identified more spent casings on the Cottage Way roadway. Projectile impacts were discovered in the iron perimeter fence adjacent to the Home Depot. These findings suggested that a second shooter had been discharging rounds toward the south from the Cottage Way area targeting the Home Depot store. The Home Depot was locked down while the scene was active. Crime scene technicians and detectives stayed at the location through the early morning hours.
Arrests Made
Intelligence received through law enforcement radio communications revealed that a Kia connected to the shooting had been detained in an area within Solano County. Four people were taken into custody. Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies were dispatched to Solano County to transport the detainees for questioning. Video evidence showed that two shooters had been involved.