3 dead in murder-suicide at Arden Arcade apartment. Sacramento sheriff says man shot women
Three people were found dead in a murder-suicide incident Friday inside an Arden Arcade apartment complex following reports of a shooting suspect being holed up inside a building with multiple people.
Sacramento County sheriff’s officials confirmed late Friday that a man shot and killed two women before killing himself. Deputies said that all three people were adults and family members, but how they were related was not released pending further investigation. It also was unclear if the three resided in the apartment.
Shortly before 11 a.m. Friday, sheriff’s officials received a 911 call reporting a shooting inside one of the apartments at the Eleven Hundred apartment complex in the 1100 block of Howe Avenue, just north of Northrop Avenue.
Deputies responded to the reported shooting and learned there was as many as three people inside the apartment, said Sgt. Amar Gandhi, a Sheriff’s Office spokesman.
Sheriff’s officials initially reported that the suspected shooter may have been holding a woman against her will in a possible hostage situation. Gandhi said some of the surrounding apartments were evacuated for about an hour.
A sheriff’s SWAT team and negotiators were called to the scene but were unable to make any contact with the suspect after leaving phones at the front door and using loudspeakers to communicate with those inside. Gandhi said the SWAT team, using flash bangs and other tactics, breached the apartment and found the three dead people inside.
Gandhi said no gunshots were fired by deputies.
Kelly Whitcomb lives in the apartment complex across from where Friday’s incident occurred. She said she remembers hearing at least one gunshot. She said she watched SWAT team members break down a wooden front patio fence to gain better access to get inside the apartment.
Whitcomb, who has lived there since 2015, said she knew a couple who live there but couldn’t remember their names. She said there’s been violence at the apartment complex before, but it’s been fairly calm there for at least the past two years.
“Absolute tragedy. The why is what I don’t know,” Whitcomb said. “It’s kind of like a gut punch ... I just wish things like this wouldn’t happen.”
This story was originally published September 15, 2023 at 11:56 AM.
