Sacramento authorities are working a shooting incident that unfolded on April 18 2026 at Howe Park in Sacramento just as deputies were shutting down a large unsanctioned party of multiple hundreds of people.
Before the Gunfire
Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies were first dispatched to Howe Community Park at about 6:30 in the evening after being notified of people potentially armed with concealed firearms. After that, another report was received describing a potential altercation happening near the park.
A sheriff's airship flew over the park but could not confirm any ongoing fight. However, it was evident that a massive group had come together at the location without authorization.
When the Shots Rang Out
Law enforcement personnel set about removing people from the park by forming a perimeter and announcing over their public address systems instructing the crowd to leave immediately. Around 15 minutes were provided for individuals to vacate.
While deputies worked to disperse the gathering that 20 to 25 gunshots cut through the air. The sudden gunfire caused mass panic. Deputies at once began identifying shooting victims.
The Shooting Victims
By the time the scene was secured, four gunshot victims were confirmed as gunshot victims. Those injured — made up of one woman and three men all believed to be in their early to late twenties — were transported to Sacramento area hospitals. Medical teams indicated that two victims sustained immediate injuries, one victim's injuries were classified as moderate, and one had injuries classified as minor. In a positive development, all four victims survived and were stable.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District were called to the scene and helped triage shooting victims at the park.
What Investigators Found
The bulk of the shooting was believed to have unfolded adjacent to the Cottage Way corridor close to the local Home Depot at the 2200 block of Howe Ave. Crime scene investigators located additional spent rounds on the Cottage Way roadway. Ballistic damage were also found in the wrought iron perimeter fencing alongside the nearby Home Depot. This ballistic evidence showed that a second shooter had been discharging rounds toward the south from along Cottage Way toward the Home Depot building and parking lot. The nearby Home Depot was secured under a brief lockdown while Howe Park Sacramento gunfire law enforcement worked the area. Crime scene technicians and detectives stayed at the location through the early morning hours.
Suspect Information
Information obtained via scanner audio indicated that a Kia had been stopped in Solano County California. Four people were taken into custody. Law enforcement units were heading to pick up the four detainees to pick up those detained for formal questioning. Video evidence established that the shooting involved two separate gunmen.