Authorities in California are urgently appealing for public assistance as they search for suspects in a mass shooting that left three children and one adult dead during a child’s birthday party in Stockton.
The attack occurred Saturday evening at a banquet hall where more than 100 people had gathered. San Joaquin County Sheriff Patrick Withrow said gunfire erupted inside and continued outside, with investigators believing there may have been multiple shooters.
The victims were aged 8, 9, 14, and 21, while 11 others were wounded, including at least one in critical condition. No arrests directly linked to the shooting had been made by Sunday evening.
“This is a time for our community to show that we will not put up with this type of behavior, when people will just walk in and kill children,” Withrow said, urging anyone with information even rumors to come forward.
Sheriff’s spokesperson Heather Brent described the incident as “targeted,” though officials did not elaborate on possible motives.
The party was held in honor of a 2-year-old girl, who was unharmed. Family member Roscoe Brown, who works for Stockton’s Office of Violence Prevention, said two of his relatives were among the injured. “You can’t shoot up a party. That’s senseless. A kid’s party, at that,” he told reporters after a vigil.
The District Attorney Ron Freitas called on the shooter to surrender immediately. Meanwhile, Stockton police arrested five people on unrelated weapons and gang charges, including a juvenile, but confirmed those arrests were not connected to the banquet hall killings.
Mayor Christina Fugazi said the youngest victim attended a local school, and counselors would be made available to students this week. Community leaders expressed deep anguish over the tragedy, highlighting the devastating impact of violence on children.
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