Sacramento County Sheriff's Office investigators are examining a shooting incident that took place on April 18 2026 at Howe Park in Sacramento just as Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies were clearing an unsanctioned gathering of hundreds of attendees.
Prior to the Shooting
Sacramento County law enforcement were first called to the park on Howe Avenue at approximately 6:30 Saturday evening after getting calls of individuals who may have had concealed firearms. Soon after, a second call came in concerning a reported physical confrontation unfolding at the location.
Aerial units conducted an aerial sweep but could not confirm any ongoing fight. Despite this, it was apparent that a massive group had gathered without authorization in an unauthorized manner.
The Moment Gunfire Erupted
Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies worked to disperse the crowd by setting up around the park's perimeter and using their vehicle PA systems telling the assembled crowd to clear out. Nearly 15 minutes were allotted for the gathering to break up.
While deputies worked to disperse the gathering that between 20 and 25 rounds rang more info out. Gunfire caused mass panic. Law enforcement wasted no time in identifying shooting victims.
The Shooting Victims
Ultimately, four victims were located with gunshot injuries. All four — made up of one woman and three men each apparently in their 20s — were rushed to hospitals in the Sacramento area. Doctors and nurses confirmed that two of the four had injuries classified as immediate, one victim's injuries were classified as moderate, and one sustained minor gunshot wounds. Fortunately, all four were expected to survive.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District were called to the scene and provided medical assistance shooting victims on location.
Crime Scene Evidence
The bulk of the shooting was determined to have been concentrated on the Cottage Way corridor alongside the Home Depot store on the 2200 block of Howe Ave. Law enforcement investigators located additional shell casings on the Cottage Way roadway. Bullet holes were observed in the wrought iron fence surrounding the nearby Home Depot. This ballistic evidence showed that a second shooter had been sending rounds south from along Cottage Way targeting the Home Depot store. That Home Depot location was put under lockdown for a period of time. CSI units alongside detectives remained on scene well into the night.
Suspect Vehicle Located
Reports confirmed through scanner monitoring established that a Kia vehicle had been detained in an area within Solano County. Four suspects were detained. Deputies were dispatched to Solano County to collect the individuals for formal questioning. Surveillance footage made clear that two individuals had fired weapons.