 "At least one victim remained in critical condition, and by Sunday evening authorities had yet to make any arrests. (AP)")
Authorities in California are appealing for witnesses to step forward after a deadly shooting at a child’s birthday party in Stockton, where four people, including three children, were killed and eleven others wounded.
The incident unfolded on Saturday at a banquet hall attended by at least 100 guests, according to San Joaquin County Sheriff Patrick Withrow. Aged 8, 9 and 14, the young victims died alongside a 21-year-old, and detectives believe the gunfire continued outside, raising the possibility of multiple shooters.
At least one person remained in critical condition, and as of Sunday evening no arrests had been made. The sheriff called on the community to provide any information, including video recordings or eyewitness accounts, insisting that such violence must not be tolerated.
Investigators probe ‘targeted’ attack as families mourn
Sheriff’s spokesperson Heather Brent said investigators believe the shooting was a “targeted incident”, though officials did not clarify why it was considered intentional or who may have been the focus. She emphasised that officers were seeking all information, “even rumours”. Roscoe Brown, whose brother’s granddaughter was celebrating her second birthday, said the child was uninjured but several family members had been shot. Brown, who works for Stockton’s Office of Violence Prevention, travelled from Arizona after learning of the attack, describing the violence at a child’s party as senseless.
Emmanuel Lopez told the Los Angeles Times that his 21-year-old brother, Susano Archuleta, was shot in the neck and died at the scene. Lopez said his 9-year-old daughter was shot in the head but survived. He did not provide details about the circumstances leading up to the shooting.
Stockton, a city of 320000 people about 80 miles (130 kilometres) east of San Francisco, recorded 54 homicides in 2024, significantly higher than the state average. As of October this year, city data showed there had been 34 homicides. Hours after the banquet hall attack, Stockton Police arrested five people, including a juvenile, on weapons and gang-related charges, though Sheriff Withrow said there was no indication these arrests were linked to the killings.
Mayor Christina Fugazi said one of the child victims attended a local school and had a parent working for the Stockton Unified School District. She confirmed that counsellors would be available across city schools this week and expressed deep sorrow for the young lives lost, noting that the victims should have been preparing for Christmas rather than being mourned by their families.