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Deputies came to loud party three times before call to fatal shooting

Published: Tuesday, Sep. 25, 2012 - 12:00 am | Page 3B
Last Modified: Tuesday, Sep. 25, 2012 - 7:39 am

Summoned by neighbors complaining of noise, traffic and people loitering in the streets, Sacramento County sheriff's deputies responded three times to a house party Sunday morning before it turned deadly.

They rushed to the area of Daya Way and Countryfield Drive a fourth time about 2:45 a.m., after callers reported multiple shots fired. Deputies found two victims, one of whom – identified Monday as 19-year-old Dijon Augustine Smith – was pronounced dead on the sidewalk.

Nearby, deputies found a 39-year-old man who had been acting as security at a Daya Way house party, said sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Jason Ramos.

That man, who has not been identified, suffered life-threatening injuries and remains hospitalized, Ramos said.

Contacted Monday, Smith's mother declined an interview with The Bee.

Detectives have not determined exactly what unfolded at the massive party, attended by what neighbors of the Florin-area home described as hundreds of people.

However, Ramos said detectives are investigating the possibility that more than one gun was fired.

Ramos said callers first complained about the house party about 11:50 p.m. Saturday. Deputies responded and left shortly thereafter, noting in their records system that the party appeared to be shutting down, Ramos said.

About an hour later, dispatchers received more calls reporting noise, too many parked cars, loitering, and people in the streets blocking passing traffic, Ramos said. Deputies arrived to observe large numbers of people leaving the area, Ramos said. They contacted the hosts of the party, who said they had asked people to leave.

Deputies returned shortly after a 2 a.m. call complaining again about a loud party, Ramos said. But deputies who responded noted in the system that they had contacted only two intoxicated people in the street, who were waiting for a ride, he said.

They would return 45 minutes later in response to the double shooting.

Asked why deputies did not take more aggressive action to break up the party earlier, Ramos said responding deputies apparently were under the impression that the party was winding down on all three visits.

"It's not illegal to have a party," he added. "I don't know that we can force people to stop having a social gathering at their house."

In some occasions, deputies will cite people throwing a party if partygoers or nearby residents are willing to sign a complaint alleging they've been the victim of a crime, such as disturbing the peace.

That did not happen Sunday, Ramos said.

He said deputies previously had been to the home only once in the past two years – for a ringing alarm.

© Copyright The Sacramento Bee. All rights reserved.

Read more articles by Kim Minugh



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