On Sunday, California authorities appealed to the public for assistance in locating the individual responsible for a shooting that resulted in the deaths of four people, including three children, during a family gathering at a banquet hall in Stockton, which also left numerous others injured.
According to San Joaquin County Sheriff Patrick Withrow, the tragic incident occurred on Saturday when gunfire erupted at the banquet hall, where at least 100 attendees were present. The victims included three children, aged 8, 9, and 14, along with a 21-year-old.
Investigators suspect that the shooting extended outside the venue and believe there may have been multiple assailants involved.
In addition to the fatalities, eleven individuals sustained injuries, with at least one victim reported to be in critical condition, Withrow noted. He urged anyone with relevant information, cellphone footage, or eyewitness accounts to reach out to his office.
Investigators are seen cataloging potential evidence at the site of the Stockton, California, mass shooting on Sunday. (Ethan Swope/The Associated Press)
Withrow expressed the need for community action, stating, “This is a time for our community to show that we will not tolerate this kind of behavior, where individuals feel they can walk in and kill children. If you have any information about this, you must come forward and share what you know. Otherwise, you risk becoming complacent and accepting this as normal behavior.”
A spokesperson for the sheriff’s office, Heather Brent, indicated that authorities believe the incident was a “targeted event.” However, officials did not provide further details on the motivations behind this belief or who might have been the intended targets.
Identification of Adult Victim by Relative
Mayor Christina Fugazi informed reporters that the eight-year-old victim was a student at a local school and had a parent employed by the Stockton Unified School District. She announced that counseling services would be available in city schools throughout the week.
Fugazi expressed deep sorrow over the young victims’ deaths.
“They should be writing their Christmas lists right now. Their parents should be out shopping for them for Christmas. And to think that their lives are over. I can’t even begin to imagine what these families are going through. It breaks my heart,” Fugazi remarked on Sunday.
Emmanuel Lopez revealed to the Los Angeles Times that his brother, Susano Archuleta, 21, was shot in the neck and succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
Heather Brent, spokesperson for the sheriff’s office, mentioned that preliminary evidence indicates the shooting may have been a “targeted incident.” Law enforcement continues to search for the suspect.
The shooting took place shortly before 6 p.m. inside the banquet hall, which shares parking facilities with other local businesses.
Stockton, a city with a population of approximately 320,000, is located about 65 kilometers south of Sacramento. With 54 homicides recorded in 2024, the city’s homicide rate was considerably above the state average. As of October, there had been 34 homicides reported this year, according to municipal statistics.