Stockton: Four people, including three children, were killed and 11 others wounded in a shooting at a child's birthday party in Stockton, California, media reports said on Sunday. San Joaquin County Sheriff Patrick Withrow said the shooting occurred shortly before 6 pm local time (0200GMT) at a banquet hall on Lucile Avenue.
According to Anadolu Agency, Sheriff Withrow told reporters that investigators believe 'there may have been multiple shooters' and that the attack 'appears to have started indoors and moved outside.' The children killed were 8, 9, and 14 years old, while the fourth victim was 21 years old, according to the sheriff's office. A 9-year-old child was among the 11 people injured and was in fair condition on Sunday afternoon at Dignity Health-St. Joseph Medical Center, a hospital spokesperson said. Sheriff Withrow added that another victim remained in critical condition as of Sunday night.
Stockton Vice Mayor Jason Lee confirmed the shooting took place during a birthday celebration, while sheriff's office spokesperson Heather Brent called the attack 'unfathomable.' Two other adults were also hospitalized at St. Joseph's Medical Center, one with minor injuries and another requiring surgery, according to an ABC affiliate. Sutter Memorial Hospital in Modesto said it was also treating victims but did not provide details on numbers or conditions.
Brent said early findings suggest the shooting was targeted, but no suspects have been identified. 'Our No. 1 priority right now is identifying the suspect in this incident,' she was quoted as saying. Mayor Christina Fugazi urged the public to share any information, emphasizing that 'families should be together instead of at the hospital praying that their loved one survives.' She added, 'Our city is better than this.'
San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas described the killings as 'unthinkable,' adding that authorities were doing 'everything possible to bring the individual responsible to justice.' The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are assisting in the investigation. Stockton, a city of about 320,000 residents in central California, is located about 45 miles south of Sacramento. California Governor Gavin Newsom's office said he had been briefed on the 'horrific shooting.'