Authorities in California urged witnesses to a fatal shooting at a child’s birthday party to come forward as the search for a suspect stretched into another day.
Three children, ages eight, nine and 14, and a 21-year-old man were killed in a shooting at a banquet hall in Stockton, Northern California, on Saturday. San Joaquin County Sheriff Patrick Withrow said at least 100 people had gathered for the celebration. Detectives believe the shooting continued outside and there may have been multiple shooters.
Withrow said eleven people were also injured, at least one of whom was in critical condition. No one was in custody as of Sunday evening, and the sheriff urged anyone with information to contact his office with tips, cellphone video or witness accounts.
“It’s time for our community to show that we will not tolerate this type of behavior, when people break into homes and kill children,” Withrow said. “And so if you know anything about it, you have to come forward and tell us what you know. If not, you just get complacent and think this is acceptable behavior.”
Sheriff’s spokeswoman Heather Brent previously said investigators believed it was a “targeted incident.” Officials did not elaborate on why authorities believe it was intentional or who may have been targeted. He said investigators would welcome any information, even rumors.
Roscoe Brown said the party was in honor of his brother’s granddaughter, who turned two and was not injured. Brown, who works for the city of Stockton’s Office of Violence Prevention, was in Arizona when he learned about the shooting and went straight to the scene. He said a niece and nephew of his were shot, and he knew several other victims. He was not aware of their conditions.
“Who would come in and do that to some kids, you know?” Brown said. “You can’t throw a party. This is ridiculous. A children’s party at that.”
Emmanuel Lopez told the Los Angeles Times that his brother, 21-year-old Susano Archuleta, was shot in the neck and died at the scene. Lopez said her nine-year-old daughter was shot in the head but survived. He did not share details about what led to the shooting.
Stockton is a city of 320,000 residents and is about 80 miles (130 km) east of San Francisco. With 54 murders in 2024, Stockton’s murder rate was significantly higher than the state average. According to city data, there had been 34 deaths till October this year.
Hours after the shooting, the Stockton Police Department arrested five people, including a teenager, on weapons and gang-related charges. There is no indication the arrests were connected to the murders at the banquet hall, the sheriff said.
Mayor Christina Fugazi told reporters that the eight-year-old victim attended a local school and that her parents worked for the Stockton Unified School District. The mayor said counselors will be available in city schools this week.
He expressed grief over the deaths of the victims at such young ages.
Fugazi said on Sunday, “They should be writing their Christmas lists right now. Their parents should be shopping for them for Christmas. And to think that their lives are over. I can’t even imagine what these families are going through. My heart is broken.”
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