A mass gang-related shooting occurred at a child’s birthday party in the Central Valley just north of Stockton Saturday evening, killing four people — including 3 children — and injuring 11 others. There are reportedly multiple suspects.
Update: Per Sacramento's Fox40, a total of 15 victims were shot, and the four who died were ages 8, 9, 14, and 21. Stockton Mayor Christina Fugazi confirmed the shooting was gang-related.
Update 2: Per the Chronicle, the gathering consisted of 100 to 150 people. Multiple suspects reportedly began shooting inside the banquet hall and continued shooting as they made their way outside. At least one of the surviving victims is in critical condition.
As KTVU reports, the shooting happened just before 6 pm Saturday at a banquet hall on the 1900 block of Lucile Avenue in San Joaquin County, north of Stockton, in a suspected targeted incident, per KGO. In an announcement, Stockton Vice Mayor Jason Lee initially referred to the incident as taking place at an ice cream shop, but authorities later clarified it happened near a Dairy Queen and other businesses, per Bay Area News Group.
“A birthday party should never be a place where families fear for their lives,” Vice Mayor Lee said, per Bay Area News Group. “Violence touched my life as a young person, and seeing our own children, parents and neighbors go through this shakes me deeply. Stockton is my home. These are our families. This is our community.”
Heather Brent, a spokesperson for the San Joaquin County sheriff’s office, confirmed that both children and adults had been shot.
“This is a very active and ongoing investigation, and information remains limited,” San Joaquin County Sheriff’s officials said on social media Saturday night. “Early indications suggest this may be a targeted incident, and investigators are exploring all possibilities. Detectives are actively working to determine the circumstances leading up to this tragedy.”
Per Sacramento’s KCRA, the suspect remains at large. The Stockton Police Department, Manteca Police Department, and the FBI are also investigating.
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