Shooting at family gathering in Stockton kills 4, injures 11; shooter remains at large

By Brandon Downs

Four people were killed, and 11 others were wounded in a shooting during a family gathering in the Northern California city of Stockton Saturday night, authorities said. The suspect, or possibly suspects, remains at large.  

Heather Brent, a spokesperson for the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, told reporters in a briefing that the shooting occurred around 6 p.m. Pacific Time at a banquet hall along the 1900 block of Lucile Avenue. On Sunday, Brent confirmed three children were among the four people killed. The victims were 8, 9, 14 and 21 years old.

“In this community, in San Joaquin County, violence of this nature has absolutely no place at any time, shape or form, and children should not be harmed by gun and gang violence,” said Ron Freitas, San Joaquin County district attorney.

Brent also provided an updated number of victims, saying that in total, 15 people were shot. Officials had initially reported there were 14 victims. 

Stockton Vice Mayor Jason Lee wrote in a social media post that “the mass shooting” occurred “at a child’s birthday party,” but Brent could not confirm the details of the event, only calling it a “family gathering.” She added that when the shooting started, there were between 100 and 150 people at the event.

“[A] birthday party should never be a place where families fear for their lives,” Lee added.

No arrests have been made, Brent said. And there were no immediate details about the suspect or a possible motive, though Brent said early indications suggest it was targeted. The circumstances that led up to the shooting were unclear. 

“What happened tonight, again, unacceptable,” Mayor Christina Fugazi said. “Families should be together instead of at the hospital, standing next to their loved one, praying that they survive.”

CBS News Sacramento confirmed with St. Joseph’s that the hospital was placed on lockdown Saturday night after the shooting, in what was likely protocol for a mass casualty incident. 

The office of California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a social media post that Newsom had been briefed on the shooting. 

“We are urging anyone with information, video footage, or who may have witnessed any part of this incident to contact the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office immediately,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release.  

Nonprofit Youth Peace & Justice Foundation said it is offering a “reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads directly to the arrest and conviction of the suspect(s) responsible for the shooting.”

Investigators were still at the scene Sunday morning, and the area remained closed. 

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.