Law enforcement in Sacramento are working a gunfire incident that occurred on April 18 2026 at Howe Community Park in the Arden-Arcade area while law enforcement were shutting down an unsanctioned gathering of multiple hundreds of people.
Prior to the Shooting
Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies initially responded to the park just after 6:30 PM after obtaining information of individuals who may have had concealed firearms. Soon after, another report was received about a possible fight unfolding at Howe Park.
Aerial units scanned the area from the air but found nothing to substantiate the fight report. Despite this, authorities discovered that hundreds of people had congregated at Howe Park without official sanction.
When the Shots Rang Out
Deputies moved to clear the area by forming a perimeter and issuing commands over loudspeakers telling attendees to vacate the area. Roughly 15 minutes were spent for people to comply.
It was during this dispersal that between 20 and 25 rounds echoed through the night. The barrage of gunfire sparked chaos as hundreds ran. Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies quickly moved to locating gunshot victims.
Those Who Were Hit
Ultimately, four shooting victims were discovered with shooting injuries. The shooting victims — made up of one woman and three men each reported to be in their early to late twenties — were brought to hospitals in the Sacramento area. Medical personnel reported that two of the four had injuries classified as immediate, one victim's injuries were classified as moderate, and one had injuries classified as minor. Thankfully, each of the four victims was stable.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District arrived on scene and helped care for the four victims prior to hospital transport.
Evidence at the Scene
Most of the gunfire was determined to have happened near Cottage Way near the local Home Depot situated at the 2200 block of Howe Avenue. Law enforcement investigators recovered more spent casings throughout the Cottage Way area. Ballistic damage were discovered in the wrought iron perimeter fencing bordering the nearby Home Depot. This ballistic evidence showed that one of the gunmen had been aiming south from the Cottage Way area toward the Home Depot. That Home Depot location was secured under a brief lockdown while law enforcement worked the area. CSI units alongside detectives remained on scene throughout the night.
Suspect Information
Details gathered through scanner monitoring indicated that a suspect Kia was pulled over in Solano County. Four people were held website for questioning. Deputies were heading to pick up the four detainees to pick up those detained for processing in Sacramento County. Surveillance footage showed that two separate shooters participated in the incident.