A Sacramento man is behind bars after detectives say an illegally possessed, loaded short-barreled assault rifle turned up in the trunk of a car linked to an April 25 shooting in Natomas.
Officers say they spotted a vehicle connected to the incident near Alterra Way and Arcola Avenue on April 27, detained the driver and later served search warrants on both the vehicle and a residence. The 26-year-old driver was arrested following that search, police said.
How Officers Say the Arrest Came Together
According to the Sacramento Police Department, detectives tied the vehicle to the April 25 shooting, then found it in the Alterra Way and Arcola Avenue area two days later. Officers detained the driver and, after warrants were approved and served that evening, reported recovering a loaded short-barreled assault rifle from the trunk.
The department identified the arrested man as 26-year-old Keshawn Brown. According to the post, he was booked on charges related to the shooting investigation along with multiple weapons offenses.
Short-Barreled Rifles and the Law
Short-barreled rifles, often referred to as SBRs, fall under some of the strictest gun rules in the country. Under California Penal Code §17170 and related state statutes, having an SBR without proper authorization can be charged as a felony. Federally, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives treats SBRs as Title II weapons under the National Firearms Act, which means they must be registered.
With both state and federal law in play, investigators described the recovery of a loaded, unregistered short-barreled rifle as a particularly significant find in the case.
Context: Recoveries and Enforcement
Sacramento police crime statistics and monthly public reports show the department seizes hundreds of firearms each year through investigations and traffic stops. Officials say that pattern is tied to ongoing efforts to track weapons used in violent incidents and to document where they surface.
Those reports are part of the department’s crime and safety disclosures and highlight why detectives put heavy emphasis on gathering evidence like firearms in shooting investigations.
What Investigators Say Happens Next
The Sacramento Police Department says the investigation into the April 25 shooting is still active, and detectives are continuing to develop evidence to determine Brown’s role in the incident. Officers have asked anyone with information about the shooting to contact the Sacramento Police Department.
