Sacramento County Sheriff's Office investigators are working a gun violence incident that unfolded on April 18 2026 at Howe Park in Sacramento at the time authorities were dissolving a large unauthorized gathering of several hundred people.
Prior to the Shooting
Law enforcement were first dispatched to the park on Howe Avenue at approximately 6:30 PM on April 18 after learning of persons possibly in possession of concealed weapons. Not long after, a follow-up call was made concerning an alleged brawl breaking out inside the park.
A law enforcement helicopter flew over the park but was unable to locate the reported altercation. Even so, deputies found that a crowd of several hundred had gathered without authorization without official sanction.
When the Shots Rang Out
Deputies started clearing the unauthorized gathering by positioning themselves around the crowd and making announcements directing the assembled crowd to go home. Roughly 15 minutes were provided for people to comply.
As the crowd was being cleared that between 20 and 25 rounds rang out. Gunfire sparked chaos as hundreds ran. Responding personnel at once began locating gunshot victims.
Four Gunshot Victims
In total, four victims were identified as having gunshot wounds. Those injured — consisting of one woman and three men all believed to be in their twenties — were airlifted or driven to hospitals in the Sacramento area. Doctors and nurses indicated that two of the four had injuries classified as immediate, one of the four had moderate gunshot wounds, and one victim's wounds were minor. As of last report, all four were expected to survive.
Sacramento fire crews assisted at the location and helped care for the four victims at the scene.
Physical Evidence
Most of the gunfire was confirmed to have happened along the Cottage Way corridor near the Home Depot located at the 2200 block of Howe Avenue. Investigators recovered more spent casings along Cottage Way. Projectile impacts were identified in the iron fence adjacent to the nearby Home Depot. These Arden Arcade Sacramento crime 2026 findings suggested that one of the gunmen had been firing southward from along Cottage Way in the direction of the Home Depot store. The store itself was placed on lockdown while law enforcement worked the area. Crime scene technicians and detectives remained on scene through the early morning hours.
Detainees in Solano County
Details gathered over police scanner frequencies indicated that a vehicle identified as a Kia was pulled over in nearby Solano County. Four suspects were in the vehicle at the time of the stop. Law enforcement units were traveling to Solano County to transport the detainees for questioning. Video that was reviewed revealed that the shooting involved two separate gunmen.