UPDATE at 6:50pm Tuesday: Police have now
identified the suspect in the New Years Eve Old Sacramento shooting
as 22-year-old Carlito Montoya.
UPDATE at 5:50pm Tuesday: Mike Testa with the
Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau, which organizes the two
New Years Eve Old Sacramento fireworks shows, says it's too soon to
say what the event's future will be after Monday night's shooting
that canceled the midnight show. But "I don't think you can
move fwd and not do special events out of fear," Testa says.
"The reality is, this region supports special events very well, and
they will continue to be produced." Click the LISTEN
NOW button above to hear more from Testa.
Meanwhile, the Sacramento Police Department says it's
continuing to investigate last night's deadly shooting at an Old
Sacramento bar that began with an argument among strangers.
It came as tens of thousands of people had gathered outside for
Sacramento's annual New Year's Eve fireworks shows.
Police are not identifying the 22-year-old suspect. But
they say he's in custody at a hospital recovering from a wound he
received in an exchange of gunfire with a private security guard at
the bar. Police say the suspect likely acted alone in what
they call an "isolated incident," and they're asking anyone who
witnessed the shooting or has more information to get in
touch.
ORIGINAL STORY
Sacramento police say an argument inside a bar at 2nd and K
streets in Old Sacramento Monday night turned deadly when a male
suspect fired several rounds, killing two, before being wounded by
an armed security guard stationed near a side door.
A statement from the Sacramento Police Department says the
suspect and armed guard exchanged gunfire, then the suspect was
quickly apprehended by police responding to the incident in the
crowded New Year's Eve crowd outside the bar.
Five people were shot, including the suspect and guard.
Police say two guns were recovered from the shooting scene.
The incident caused authorities to cancel the midnight fireworks
display. The 9 p.m. fireworks show had just ended when the fight
and shooting occured.
One of the victims is a male employee of the bar - The Sports
Corner Cafe - who attempted to break up the fight. The other victim
who died at the scene is a male, with a female also shot in her
lower-body with non-life threatening injuries.
The suspect and the armed guard also suffered gunshot wounds,
and were taken to local hospitals. Names of the victims and suspect
have not been released as of Tuesday morning.
A press release from the Sacramento Police Department
states:
Suspect Caught in Double Homicide
On Monday, December 31, 2012, at approximately 9:38 p.m.,
Sacramento police officers responded to the sounds of gunshots in
the 1000 block of 2nd Street.
Officers immediately arrived and found five people shot, two of
which were later pronounced deceased at the scene.
An argument erupted inside a bar located at the corner of
2nd and K Streets. The argument then escalated
into a physical altercation and an employee went to break up the
fight. During the fight a male suspect presented a gun
and fired several rounds toward the subjects he was fighting with.
A 30-year-old female, a 35-year-old male and an employee in his 20s
were shot. The female victim sustained a non-life threatening
gunshot wound to her lower body, but the male victim and the
employee, did not survive the multiple gunshot wounds. Both
died at the scene.
An armed security guard that was near a side door heard the
gunshots, confronted the suspect inside the bar and the two
exchanged gunfire. Both the suspect and the security
guard sustained gunshot wounds from their exchange.
The suspect, still armed with the gun ran from the bar
toward crowded city streets and was immediately taken into custody
by responding police. The suspect and the security guard were
transported to local hospitals with non-life threatening
injuries.
The 22-year-old suspect remains in police custody while
being treated at a local hospital. The identity of the
suspect is temporarily being withheld while investigation is
underway.
The Sacramento Police Department's Homicide Unit and Crime
Scene Investigations Unit responded to investigate. At this time,
detectives are actively investigating and contacting all subjects
involved in the incident. Two guns were recovered at the
scene. No further information is available at this
time.
