Samantha Cromwell was celebrating her son’s eighth birthday when gunfire erupted outside an Arden-area trampoline park, her family said.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The family of a 29-year-old mother fatally shot outside a Sacramento trampoline park says she had been trying to leave an abusive marriage before the attack that killed her and critically wounded another woman.
Samantha Sue Cromwell died after the Sept. 26 shooting outside Urban Air Adventure Park on Arden Way. Sacramento police arrested 36-year-old Edward Tucker of Fresno in connection with the shooting. Prosecutors have since charged Tucker with four felony counts, including murder, attempted murder and possession of a firearm by a felon. The allegations against him have not been proven in court.
Police said officers were sent to the 1700 block of Arden Way just after 3:30 p.m. and found two adult women with gunshot wounds. Officers provided emergency medical aid to one victim until fire personnel arrived, but she was pronounced dead at the scene. The other woman was taken to a hospital in critical condition. The Sacramento County Coroner’s Office later identified the woman who died as Cromwell.
Cromwell’s family said she had gone to the trampoline park to celebrate her son’s eighth birthday. Her stepfather, Cedric Ward, told local news outlets that Cromwell and Tucker had been married for several years and shared a son. Other family reporting has described Tucker as her former husband. Ward said Cromwell had been trying to distance herself from Tucker before her death.
Ward described the relationship as abusive and said Cromwell had taken steps to keep Tucker from learning where she was. He said she had left her job at Walmart in part because she did not want Tucker to know where she worked. Those allegations came from Cromwell’s family, and police have not publicly announced a motive for the shooting. Investigators have said the circumstances remain under investigation.
Cromwell’s family also identified the second woman wounded in the shooting as Faith. Police have said that woman was critically injured. Her mother, Tamica Atterberry, joined members of Cromwell’s family at Tucker’s first court appearance Tuesday, where relatives said they planned to continue attending proceedings as the criminal case moves forward.
The shooting unfolded in a busy commercial area while children and families were inside the trampoline park. Witnesses described hearing gunfire and people taking cover. Police said the victims were found outside the business. The shooting prompted homicide detectives and crime scene investigators to process the area, collect evidence and interview witnesses.
Police announced Tucker’s arrest the day after the shooting. He was booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail on homicide-related allegations. Prosecutors later filed felony charges, and Tucker made his first court appearance Sept. 29. He remained in custody without bail following the brief hearing, according to court reporting.
Tucker also has a prior felony record in Fresno County. The Fresno County District Attorney’s Office said he was charged in 2024 with shooting at an inhabited dwelling and possessing a firearm as a felon during a broader law enforcement operation. Prosecutors said he later pleaded guilty to firing a gun into an occupied home and received a three-year state prison sentence. His prior record is separate from the current Sacramento case and does not establish guilt in the new charges.
Cromwell’s relatives have described her as a devoted mother who centered much of her life on her son. Ward said she was kind and family-oriented. Her grandmother, Pamela Ward, said after Tucker’s court appearance that the family was experiencing deep pain but wanted to see the legal process carried through.
The case remains under investigation by Sacramento police homicide detectives. Tucker’s next scheduled court appearance is Oct. 13. Authorities have not publicly announced a motive, and additional details about what immediately preceded the shooting have not been released.
Author note: Last updated September 30, 2026.