Officials in Sacramento County are probing a gun violence incident that unfolded on April 18 2026 at Howe Park in Sacramento as Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies were shutting down a large unauthorized gathering of an estimated several hundred individuals.
Background
Sacramento County law enforcement initially responded to Howe Community Park shortly before 6:30 Saturday evening after learning of people potentially armed with concealed firearms. Not long after, a second caller reported about a reported physical confrontation unfolding at Howe Park.
A law enforcement helicopter searched from above but came back with no confirmation of a fight. Regardless, authorities discovered that a crowd of several hundred had congregated at Howe Park in an unauthorized manner.
The Shooting Itself
Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies set about removing people from the park by setting up around the park's perimeter and making announcements ordering the hundreds present to vacate the area. Approximately 15 minutes were spent for individuals to vacate.
While deputies worked to disperse the gathering that an estimated 20 to 25 shots cut through the click here air. The barrage of gunfire sent the crowd running in all directions. Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies at once began identifying shooting victims.
Four Victims Hospitalized
Altogether, four gunshot victims were confirmed as gunshot victims. Those injured — consisting of one woman and three men all believed to be in their early to late twenties — were brought to hospitals in the Sacramento area. Emergency physicians noted that two victims sustained immediate injuries, one sustained moderate wounds, and one had injuries classified as minor. According to authorities, all four were in stable condition.
Sacramento fire crews provided support and aided in treating the injured at the scene.
Physical Evidence
The primary shooting scene seemed to have been concentrated along the Cottage Way side of the park near the Home Depot on the 2200 block of Howe Ave. Crime scene investigators recovered additional shell casings along Cottage Way. Bullet holes were observed in the iron perimeter fence bordering the Home Depot store. These findings pointed to that at least one shooter had been sending rounds south from Cottage Way targeting the Home Depot. The store itself was put under lockdown for a period of time. Forensic investigators and law enforcement detectives kept processing evidence for hours.
Suspects Detained
Information obtained over scanner radio traffic indicated that a Kia was intercepted in the Solano County area. Four suspects were detained. Deputies were heading to pick up the four detainees to return them to Sacramento for further questioning. Surveillance footage established that the shooting involved two separate gunmen.