 "Stockton banquet hall mass shooting: The mother of the birthday girl expressed confusion and sorrow over the senseless violence at such an event")
Chilling details have emerged from a mass shooting at a two-year-old’s birthday party in Stockton, California, that left four people dead, including three children. The mother of the birthday girl, Patrice Williams, described the confusion and terror on the day of the celebration, expressing her shock and fury over the senseless violence.
The incident took place at a crowded banquet hall on a Saturday as the two-year-old was cutting her birthday cake. Williams recounted the moment the gunfire started, initially mistaking the fatal shots for decorations. “I actually thought it was my balloons popping. It was gunshots,” she told the Associated Press.
As the realisation hit, party guests immediately dropped to the floor in panic. Williams, whose daughter was unharmed in the incident, described her shock, adding, “It was just unexpected. I don’t know what happened, and I’m just so shocked and lost.”
Authorities confirmed that the four victims killed included children aged 8, 9, and 14, alongside a 21-year-old adult. Additionally, 11 other people were injured, with at least one reported to be in critical condition.
While investigators have yet to identify any suspects, Sheriff’s spokesperson Heather Brent stated that authorities believe the incident was “a targeted incident” linked to gang activity. However, officials did not provide specific details on the intended targets.
Patrice Williams, unable to comprehend why anyone would attack a children’s party, delivered an enraged message to the perpetrators. “They deserve to be in jail. They deserve to go to hell,” she stated, demanding accountability for the violence.
Quick Reads
View AllThe local sheriff has urged the community to step forward with any information, including tips, cellphone footage, or eyewitness accounts, to help solve the crime.