A shooting injured three men and a woman Saturday in a Sacramento-area park during a gathering that may have been linked to UC Davis’ annual Picnic Day, authorities said.
The shooting came hours before a stabbing injured a man in Davis, which was flooded with large crowds that turned out for UC Davis’ popular event.
The shooting occurred after Sacramento County sheriff’s deputies responded to Howe Park around 6:30 p.m. Saturday. The sheriff’s office had received a call about parkgoers possibly carrying concealed weapons, the agency said in a statement. Another caller then reported a fight, adding that parkgoers were running.
A law enforcement helicopter crew didn’t spot any parkgoers fighting or running. Still, deputies surrounded the park, with their lights and sirens activated. For about 15 minutes, they made loudspeaker announcements, instructing parkgoers to leave the area. The deputies then heard 20 to 25 gunshots, the office said.
As some parkgoers took off, deputies found the four victims around the park.
The victims — men ages 21, 24 and 25, plus a 23-year-old woman — were taken to a hospital in stable condition. Three of them were shot and one was grazed by gunfire, the office said. All four victims were expected to survive.
A driver and two passengers in a car “of interest” were later detained and interviewed. Deputies also searched the car and found a gun, the office said. The investigation was ongoing, and the trio’s level of involvement was unknown, the office said. It was unclear whether they were released or arrested.
Hours later, the stabbing occurred on Third Street in downtown Davis, about 21 miles away. Police were alerted to it around 2:30 a.m. after the victim, a 22-year-old man, showed up at Sutter Davis Hospital’s emergency room.
The victim’s condition was unknown. Police released few other details about the investigation, except to say they believed there was no ongoing threat to the public.
The violence came a year after a shooting injured two teens and a 24-year-old at the city’s Community Park during Picnic Day. This year Davis police doubled their staffing for the weekend, deployed drones and called in officers from other agencies in the area, according to ABC10.