In a deeply disturbing incident at least four people were killed and 10 others injured in a shooting during a family gathering at a banquet hall in Stockton, officials said on Saturday. According to San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Heather Brent, the victims included both children and adults.
The shooting took place inside the banquet hall, which shares a parking lot with several nearby businesses. Early findings "suggest this may have been a targeted incident," she said during a news briefing at the scene. Detectives are still working to determine a motive. Authorities have not released further details on the victims’ conditions, though several were transported to hospitals earlier.
Stockton Vice Mayor Jason Lee said the shooting took place at a child’s birthday party. In a Facebook post, he wrote, "Tonight, my heart is heavy in a way that’s hard to put into words. As Vice Mayor of Stockton — and as someone who grew up in this community — I am devastated and angry to learn about the mass shooting at a child’s birthday party. An ice cream shop should never be a place where families fear for their lives."
"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. I am in contact with staff and public safety officials to understand exactly what happened, and I will be pushing for answers. Our community deserves to know the truth, and the families impacted deserve justice and every resource available to support them."
"Tonight, I'm sending my thoughts, prayers, and love to the families who are hurting, to the children who witnessed this trauma, and to everyone across our city who feels this pain. Please God, uplift our community. We don’t deserve this. And we will not accept this as our norm."