The victim of last week’s Natomas High School shooting was identified Monday as the school reopened, though no suspects have been detained.
De’Jon Sledge, 16, was identified by the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office on Monday as the victim of the shooting.
A statement released on behalf of his family by EMPACT, a Sacramento nonprofit advocacy group, described him as an honors student who was focused on his academics and improving his grades.
“My son’s life did not deserve to be taken from us,” the statement, written by Sledge’s mother, read.
In the statement, Sledge’s mother asked the community to “refrain from spreading false narratives” about him and said he was not affiliated with any gang.
“My son was caring. He was passionate. He was determined to walk the right path,” the statement read. “Did he make mistakes? Of course, just like any other teenager in this world. But anyone who truly knew my son knew what kind of person he really was.”
Sacramento police officers ride a BearCat armored vehicle as they search for a suspect at the Natomas Village apartments after a shooting at Natomas High School that left one student dead in Sacramento on Friday, April 10, 2026. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. pkitagaki@sacbee.com
Officers responded shortly after 3:30 p.m. Friday to a reported shooting in the 3200 block of Truxel Road, near the Natomas High School and Discovery High School campuses, about 10 minutes after classes had been dismissed.
Police spokesperson Officer Anthony Gamble said Friday that the teen victim was not an active student at either school but attended a “nearby school” and was on campus in an open area at the time of the shooting.
Natomas High School had an increased presence of safety teams and the Sacramento Police Department on campus Monday, as well as mental health professionals, chaplains and community partners, according to a statement from the district’s spokesperson.
“We are grateful for the tremendous outpouring of support from across the region,” the district’s statement read. “Natomas is a strong and connected community, and together, we will navigate this difficult time.”
Officer Allison Smith, a spokesperson for the Sacramento Police Department, said an officer has been temporarily assigned to the school during school hours “to provide an added measure of reassurance and visibility,” and law enforcement has increased its presence in the area this week during drop-off and pick-up times for the school.
Family members of the shooting suspect call for him as law enforcement officers demand his surrender after a shooting at Natomas High School that left one student dead on Friday, April 10, 2026. Authorities searched for the suspect at the Natomas Village apartments near the campus. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. pkitagaki@sacbee.com
Gamble said Friday that the suspect is a Natomas High student and that while the motive remained under investigation, authorities believed the victim was intentionally targeted.
On Friday, officers searched a nearby apartment complex, Natomas Village Apartments, located across the street from the school at 3200 Truxel Road. Dozens of people gathered outside the complex, along the campus lawn and into the street, including a trio of women crying out for the person sought by police to surrender.
“Put your hands up. Your mama’s right here. Come on out. Put your hands up,” one of the women pleaded as another woman sobbed beside her. “They’ve got guns everywhere. Come out, man.”
Smith said Monday that there was no update to share about the suspect.
This story was originally published April 13, 2026 at 4:25 PM.
Related Stories from Sacramento Bee
The Sacramento Bee
Camryn Dadey is The Sacramento Bee’s Elk Grove and Rancho Cordova watchdog reporter. She is a 2022 graduate of Sacramento State.