SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A 29-year-old woman who was fatally shot outside an Arden-area trampoline park had been trying to leave what her father described as an abusive marriage, according to her family.
Samantha Sue Cromwell was killed Saturday afternoon after a shooting near Urban Air Adventure Park on Arden Way. A second woman was also shot and remained in critical condition, according to Sacramento police.
Officers were called to the 1700 block of Arden Way shortly after 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 26. Police found two adult women suffering from gunshot wounds. One woman died at the scene, while the other was taken to a nearby hospital.
Authorities later arrested 36-year-old Edward Tucker of Fresno and booked him into the Sacramento County Main Jail on homicide-related charges. Police have said the circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under investigation.
Family says Cromwell was trying to get away
Cromwell’s father, Cedric Ward, said his daughter and Tucker had been married for several years and shared a son. Ward described the relationship as abusive and said Cromwell had been making efforts to separate herself from Tucker.
According to Ward, Cromwell had even left her job at Walmart because she did not want Tucker to know where she was working.
On Saturday, Cromwell was at the trampoline park with family for her son’s birthday when Tucker allegedly learned where she was and confronted her outside, Ward said.
The shooting happened in an area where families and children were spending the afternoon. Witnesses described hearing gunfire and people inside the business taking cover as the situation unfolded.
Cromwell’s family identified the second woman who was shot as Faith. She was hospitalized in critical condition following the shooting.
Ward remembered his daughter as a kind and family-oriented person who cared deeply for her son and other members of her family.
He said he does not want Tucker to receive the death penalty. Instead, Ward said he wants the accused man to live with the consequences of Cromwell’s death and remember the person who was lost.
Tucker had previous criminal case in Fresno County
Tucker’s arrest in Sacramento follows a previous criminal case in Fresno County.
According to the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, Tucker was arrested in May 2024 during a gang-related operation and later pleaded guilty to firing a gun into an occupied home.
He received a three-year state prison sentence. However, prosecutors said he did not serve the full sentence, with jail credits contributing to the reduction in the time he spent behind bars.
Tucker is now being held in Sacramento County in connection with the fatal shooting.
Investigation remains active
Sacramento homicide detectives and crime scene investigators responded to the Arden Way shooting and collected evidence while speaking with witnesses. Police have continued investigating the circumstances leading up to the shooting and the events that followed.
The woman who died was later identified by the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office as Cromwell after her family was notified.
Urban Air Adventure Park reopened the following day, while the investigation into the shooting continued. Tucker remains in custody as the case moves forward.
