Sacramento police said officers responded to the 1700 block of Arden Way around 3:30 p.m. Saturday and found two shooting victims at the scene. Cromwell was pronounced dead there, and a second woman was taken to a hospital in the area.
Cromwell had brought her son to Urban Air that afternoon to celebrate his 8th birthday. Her family described her as a loving, spirited mother, according to the coroner's office.
The shooting happened outside a business built around kids' birthday parties, in a stretch of Arden Way that draws families on weekends. Police have not said what led to the gunfire or whether the second victim's condition has changed. A child's celebration turned into a crime scene within minutes.
For the family, the loss lands on top of a milestone that should have been simple. For the Arden-Arcade area, it raises questions about safety outside a spot packed with parents and children on any given Saturday.
Police have not announced an arrest or released a motive.