Sacramento County Sheriff's Office investigators are working a gunfire incident that unfolded on April 18 2026 at Howe Park while law enforcement were shutting down an unauthorized event of hundreds of attendees.
Background
Deputies were first dispatched to check here the park at approximately 6:30 PM after obtaining information of people potentially armed with concealed firearms. After that, a second caller reported mentioning a possible fight happening within the park grounds.
A sheriff's airship scanned the area from the air but could not confirm any ongoing fight. Regardless, authorities discovered that a crowd of several hundred had congregated at Howe Park without any permit or approval.
The Shooting Itself
Deputies moved to clear the area by positioning themselves around the crowd and broadcasting over loudspeakers commanding the hundreds present to vacate the area. Nearly 15 minutes were spent for attendees to disperse.
While deputies worked to disperse the gathering that upwards of 20 gunshots cut through the air. The shots triggered a stampede. Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies at once began identifying shooting victims.
Four People Shot
In total, four individuals were confirmed as gunshot victims. All four — consisting of one woman and three men all reportedly in their early to late twenties — were transported to hospitals in the Sacramento area. Doctors and nurses stated that two victims were in serious condition, one sustained moderate wounds, and one suffered minor injuries. Fortunately, no fatalities were reported and all four were stable.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District were called to the scene and helped care for shooting victims at the scene.
What Investigators Found
The bulk of the shooting seemed to have taken place along the Cottage Way side of the park alongside the Home Depot store situated at the 2200 block of Howe Avenue. Investigators found extra shell casings on Cottage Way. Bullet damage were discovered in the metal fencing surrounding the Home Depot store. These discoveries indicated that a second shooter had been sending rounds south from along Cottage Way toward the Home Depot building and parking lot. That Home Depot location was locked down as a precaution. Forensic investigators and law enforcement detectives remained on scene late into the evening.
Arrests Made
Information obtained through law enforcement radio communications indicated that a vehicle identified as a Kia was intercepted in nearby Solano County. Four individuals were stopped and detained. Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies were dispatched to Solano County to transport the detainees for further questioning. Footage analyzed by investigators confirmed that the shooting involved two separate gunmen.