Sacramento County Sheriff's Office investigators are looking into a violent incident that unfolded on April 18 2026 at the Howe Community Park area at the time Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies were dissolving an unauthorized event of an estimated several hundred individuals.
How It Started
Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies first arrived at Howe Park shortly before 6:30 in the evening after being notified of people potentially armed with concealed firearms. Following that, another report was received about a possible physical fight breaking out within the park grounds.
An overhead unit scanned the area from the air but could not confirm any ongoing fight. However, authorities discovered that a massive group had gathered without authorization without any permit or approval.
The Dispersal and Shooting
Deputies started clearing the unauthorized gathering by setting up around the park's perimeter and broadcasting over loudspeakers instructing attendees to go home. Approximately 15 minutes were allowed for the crowd to leave.
Just as the crowd began to move that 20 to 25 gunshots were discharged. Gunfire triggered a stampede. Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies at once began identifying shooting victims.
Four Gunshot Victims
By the time Sacramento park shooting 2026 the scene was secured, four individuals were identified as having gunshot wounds. All four — a group of one female and three male victims each reported to be in their twenties — were transported to area medical facilities. Doctors and nurses indicated that two were treated for serious injuries, one person had injuries of a moderate nature, and one victim's wounds were minor. In a positive development, all four victims survived and were stable.
Metro Fire Sacramento also responded and helped care for shooting victims at the scene.
Physical Evidence
Most of the gunfire seemed to have unfolded along Cottage Way near the Home Depot on the 2200 block of Howe Ave. Crime scene investigators recovered additional shell casings along Cottage Way. Ballistic damage were also found in the iron fence bordering the nearby Home Depot. These discoveries indicated that at least one of the shooters had been firing southward from along Cottage Way aimed at the Home Depot building and parking lot. The Home Depot was temporarily locked down while the scene was active. CSI units alongside detectives stayed at the location late into the evening.
Suspects Detained
Intelligence received through scanner monitoring confirmed that a Kia was pulled over in Solano County. Four people were stopped and detained. Law enforcement units were sent to retrieve the detainees to pick up those detained for processing in Sacramento County. Video that was reviewed made clear that two separate shooters participated in the incident.