A grandmother and her grandchildren — including a 4-year-old — were returning home with ice cream when they were struck in a drive-by attack. Months later, Sacramento police say they’ve found who pulled the trigger.
What started as a simple family outing ended in chaos. A Sacramento grandmother had just taken her two grandchildren — ages 18 and 4 — out for ice cream on the evening of March 25. They were steps from home when gunshots rang out along 9th Avenue near 33rd Street in the Oak Park neighborhood.
“They were coming back from getting ice cream” — a family member’s words that stopped a city cold.
All three family members were hit. A fourth victim, found inside a nearby home with a gunshot wound, did not appear to be connected to the family, according to police. At least one parked vehicle in the area was also struck by gunfire. Officers arriving on scene found all four victims with non-life-threatening injuries — but the image of a toddler caught in a drive-by attack rattled the Sacramento community.
For weeks, the case went unsolved. Then on Friday, Sacramento police announced a major break: four suspects had been taken into custody following a thorough investigation into the shooting.
The suspects arrested:
All four were booked on charges including attempted murder and conspiracy. Two additional 17-year-olds were also arrested; their identities have not been released due to their age.
In a statement, Sacramento police credited the work of its officers and investigators for bringing the suspects to justice. However, they have not yet disclosed what led to the shooting or whether the victims were targeted or caught in the crossfire.
The investigation remains ongoing. No further details on motive or additional suspects have been released.
