Law enforcement in Sacramento are looking into a shooting that occurred on April 18 2026 at Howe Community Park just as authorities were shutting down a large unsanctioned party of multiple hundreds of people.

Before the Gunfire

Deputies were first dispatched to the Arden-Arcade park around 6:30 in the evening after learning of persons possibly in possession of concealed weapons. After that, additional information came in describing a possible fight taking place inside the park.

Aerial units flew over the park but could not Sacramento County Sheriff shooting investigation confirm any ongoing fight. Regardless, deputies found that hundreds of people had packed into the park without any permit or approval.

When the Shots Rang Out

Deputies began the process of clearing the park by positioning themselves around the crowd and announcing over their public address systems telling the crowd to go home. Around 15 minutes were provided for the gathering to break up.

At the height of the dispersal effort that between 20 and 25 rounds were discharged. The shots triggered a stampede. Responding personnel at once began looking for those injured.

Four Gunshot Victims

Ultimately, four individuals were identified as having gunshot wounds. The victims — made up of one woman and three men all reportedly in their 20s at the time of the incident — were airlifted or driven to Sacramento area hospitals. Medical personnel confirmed that two victims sustained immediate injuries, one person had injuries of a moderate nature, and one sustained minor gunshot wounds. In a positive development, all four victims survived and were stable.

Metro Fire Sacramento were called to the scene and helped triage those with gunshot wounds on location.

Evidence at the Scene

The main crime scene was believed to have occurred along the Cottage Way side of the park next to the local Home Depot at the 2200 block of Howe Ave. Crime scene investigators identified further ballistic evidence in the form of shell casings along Cottage Way. Bullet holes were discovered in the metal fencing surrounding the Home Depot store. These discoveries suggested that a second shooter had been shooting in a southerly direction from Cottage Way aimed at the Home Depot. The nearby Home Depot was temporarily locked down while law enforcement worked the area. Crime scene technicians and detectives continued working through the early morning hours.

Detainees in Solano County

Information relayed through scanner monitoring showed that a Kia had been detained in an area within Solano County. Four people were detained. Deputies were dispatched to Solano County to transport the detainees for formal questioning. Video evidence showed that the shooting involved two separate gunmen.