Investigators urge witnesses of deadly shooting at child’s birthday party in California to come forward

WE BEGIN WITH BREAKING NEWS. THAT IS THE SOUND OF RAPID GUNFIRE TERRORIZING A STOCKTON NEIGHBORHOOD. KCRA THREE JUST OBTAINED THIS HOME SURVEILLANCE VIDEO FROM LAST NIGHT’S MASS SHOOTING. TONIGHT, MANY ARE ASKING, WHY WOULD PEOPLE OPEN FIRE AT A CHILD’S BIRTHDAY PARTY? AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHO WOULD BE SO CRUEL TO TARGET CHILDREN? WE ALL KNOW THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT ARE VIOLENT AND COMMIT VIOLENT CRIMES, BUT THESE ANIMALS WALKED IN AND SHOT CHILDREN AT A CHILDREN’S BIRTHDAY PARTY, AND NONE OF US SHOULD STAND FOR THAT. THE CHILDREN WHO WERE KILLED WERE EIGHT, NINE AND 14 YEARS OLD. THE FOURTH VICTIM, JUST BARELY AN ADULT AT 21 YEARS OLD. AUTHORITIES ARE NOW ASKING FOR YOUR HELP IN TRACKING DOWN THE PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE. AND THIS IS A LOOK AT THE SCENE OF THE SHOOTING JUST HOURS AFTER GUNMAN OPENED FIRE AT A CHILD’S BIRTHDAY PARTY. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AT 11. I’M CECIL HANNIBAL, AND I’M EDIE LAMBERT. OUR REPORTERS ON THE SCENE SAW DECORATIONS, WHICH APPEARED TO BE FOR A TWO YEAR OLD’S BIRTHDAY PARTY. THE PARTY WAS AT A BANQUET HALL OFF OF LUCILLE AVENUE AND THORNTON ROAD IN STOCKTON. WE KNOW AT LEAST 100 PEOPLE WERE THERE AT THE TIME OF THAT MASS SHOOTING. TONIGHT WE CONTINUE OUR BREAKING NEWS TEAM COVERAGE WITH KCRA 3’S ANAHITA JAFARY SPEAKING WITH FAMILIES MOURNING THE LOSS. PRAYING FOR THOSE RECOVERING AND CALLING FOR PEACE IN THEIR CITY. FIRST KCRA 3’S ANDRES VALLE IS LIVE FOR US AT THE SCENE OF THAT CRIME. ANDRES, YOU’VE BEEN SPEAKING WITH AUTHORITIES ALL DAY. DO THEY KNOW HOW MANY SHOOTERS CARRIED OUT THIS ATTACK? WELL, WE’RE TALKING MULTIPLE SHOOTERS. POTENTIALLY POSSIBLE. THAT’S WHY THE SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS ACTIVELY SEARCHING FOR THOSE RESPONSIBLE. AGAIN, FOUR PEOPLE ARE DEAD. 11 OTHERS ARE IN THE HOSPITAL TONIGHT. AND WE’RE STANDING DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF WHERE ALL OF THIS UNFOLDED. SO WE SHOW YOU WHERE THAT GARAGE IS RIGHT THERE. THAT’S PART OF THE BANQUET HALL. AND YOU CAN SORT OF SEE SOME OF THOSE BULLET HOLES TONIGHT. I KNOW LIGHTING IS KIND OF A BIT OF AN ISSUE, BUT AGAIN, INVESTIGATORS HAVE CLEARED THE SCENE EARLIER TODAY. NOW WE’RE ABLE TO SEE UP FRONT EXACTLY WHERE THOSE BULLET HOLES HIT. AS FAR AS EARLIER TODAY, THIS IS THE VIDEO THAT WE GATHERED THAT SHOWS YOU SOME OF THE GARAGE. SHOW YOU SOME OF THOSE BULLET HOLES FROM THE GARAGE, FROM THAT BANQUET HALL. AND WE ALSO NOTICED WHAT APPEARED TO BE FAMILY MEMBERS RETRIEVING ITEMS FROM THAT BIRTHDAY PARTY. WE SAW DECORATIONS AND BALLOONS SHOWING THE NUMBER TWO. SO POTENTIALLY A TWO YEAR OLD’S BIRTHDAY PARTY WAS BEING CELEBRATED HERE YESTERDAY. NOW, THE SHERIFF SAYS THEY BELIEVE THERE WERE MULTIPLE SHOOTERS INVOLVED AND EVEN FOUND FIREARMS ON THE ROOF OF THE BANQUET HALL. WE BELIEVE FROM WHAT WE’VE GATHERED SO FAR, THAT THERE APPEARS TO BE MULTIPLE SHOOTERS. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WERE SOME FIREARMS FOUND ON THE ROOF OF THE BUILDING. BUT WHETHER THEY’RE RELATED TO THIS CRIME OR NOT, WE DO NOT KNOW. SO I DON’T KNOW HOW MANY. IF THERE WERE MULTIPLE OR ONE. SO. SO WE’RE JUST AGAIN WAITING TO SEE HOW THEY FIT IN IF THEY DO TO THIS, THIS CRIME. NOW THE SHERIFF SAYS THIS WAS A TARGETED ATTACK. AND THE MAYOR HAS GONE ON TO SAY THIS IS GANG RELATED. NOW, THE SHERIFF HAS YET TO GET ON BOARD AND CONFIRM THAT THIS IS GANG RELATED. THEY MENTIONED THAT THEY’RE TRYING TO GATHER AS MUCH EVIDENCE AS POSSIBLE BEFORE THEY FULLY, PUBLICLY SAY THAT THIS WAS GANG RELATED. WE’RE LIVE IN STOCKTON. I’M KCRA 3 NEWS ANDRES, YOU MENTIONED THAT FOUR PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED. 11 OTHERS WERE INJURED IN THIS SHOOTING. WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THOSE PEOPLE THAT WERE INJURED SPECIFICALLY? WELL, GUYS, THAT INFORMATION IS VERY LIMITED AT THIS TIME. BUT THE SHERIFF DID MENTION DURING THAT NEWS CONFERENCE EARLIER TODAY THAT WE AT LEAST KNOW ONE PERSON WHO’S IN THE HOSPITAL IS IN CRITICAL CONDITION. AGAIN, WE’RE WORKING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THOSE OTHER VICTIMS AND HOW THEY’RE DOING TONIGHT. AND HOPEFULLY ONCE WE GET THAT INFORMATION, WE’LL PROVIDE THAT TO YOU GUYS. ALL RIGHT. ANDRES. THANK YOU. INVESTIGATORS ARE WORKING TO FIND A NUMBER OF SUSPECTS ON THE LOOSE. THE COMMUNITY IS ALSO FOCUSING ON THOSE THAT KILLED AND INJURED. TODAY. HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE CAME TOGETHER TO HOLD A VIGIL. KCRA 3’S ANAHITA JAFARY HAS MORE ON THEIR CALL FOR ACTION. AND THE FEAR THAT IS NOW GROWING. HEARTBREAK HANGS HEAVY OVER THE CITY OF STOCKTON TONIGHT, AS PEOPLE CAME OUT TO A COMMUNITY VIGIL LIGHTING CANDLES LIKE THESE IN MEMORY OF THE VICTIMS. CANDLES, FLOWERS AND JOINING IN PRAYER. LORD, OUR LAND NEED A HEALING RIGHT NOW. LESS THAN 24 HOURS AFTER A MASS SHOOTING CLAIMED THE LIVES OF FOUR AND LEFT 11 OTHERS HURT. I JUST SAW A LOT OF. I SAW A LOT OF HURT. I SAW A LOT OF PAIN. BUT I ALSO SAW A LOT OF TOGETHERNESS WITH THE COMMUNITY. FAITH IN THE VALLEY, A GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION, PUT TOGETHER THIS COMMUNITY VIGIL ADVOCATING FOR CHANGE, SAYING IT STARTS NOW. I JUST HOPE THAT THIS VIGIL IS ONE OF THE STARTING POINTS FOR PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY WAKE UP, TO GET INVOLVED, AS WE DID TODAY, AS THE PEOPLE THAT SPOKE AND JUST HOLDING OUR PEOPLE TO THEIR WORDS TODAY, THE HEARTBROKEN COMMUNITY IN STOCKTON COMING TOGETHER TO SPREAD LOVE. WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO TO UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER AND TO TO FIND A PATH FORWARD THAT IS CONSTRUCTIVE AND WILL HELP DEFUZE THE ANGER AND VIOLENCE IN THE CITY BEFORE IT HAPPENS TO SOMEONE ELSE. I’VE BEEN SHOT BEFORE, WHEN I WAS A CHILD, WHEN I WAS 18 YEARS OLD, AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A TRAUMATIC EVENT FOR ME. LIKE, YOU KNOW, JUST LIVING WITH THAT PAIN AND ANGER, NOT KNOWING HOW TO COPE WITH IT, BUT, YOU KNOW, NOW, LIKE, THAT’S WHY I COULD KIND OF RELATE. I BEAR WITNESS TO THE ONENESS OF GOD. ONE SPEAKER. BORN AND RAISED IN STOCKTON AND INVOLVED IN WORKING WITH VICTIMS OF GUN VIOLENCE. IT’S GUT WRENCHING. YOU KNOW, THE LOSS OF LIFE ANY TIME, BUT ESPECIALLY WHEN IT’S YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE INVOLVED. STANDING IN THE CROWD, THE STOCKTON UNIFIED SUPERINTENDENT SHARED A DEVASTATING DETAIL. ONE OF THE CHILDREN KILLED WAS A DISTRICT STUDENT AND THEIR PARENT A TEACHER. I GOT CHOKED UP WHEN I SPOKE TO HER TODAY, AND I HAD TO PULL MYSELF TOGETHER BECAUSE I NEEDED TO BE STRONG FOR HER. OBVIOUSLY, CHILDREN ARE WHAT WE CARE ABOUT, AND SO IT’S REALLY HARD FOR US. BUT WE ALSO BELIEVE IN BEING STRONG FOR THOSE THAT NEED IT AT THE MOST. IN STOCKTON, I’M ANAHITA JAFARY KCRA THREE NEWS. AND TONIGHT, OUTSIDE OF THAT BANQUET HALL WHERE SO MANY VICTIMS WERE SHOT, PEOPLE HAVE PLACED CANDLES IN MEMORY OF THE FOUR WHO WERE KILLED. AS WE MENTIONED, ONE OF THOSE VICTIMS WAS A STUDENT IN THE STOCKTON UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT. THE DISTRICT SAYS IT WILL OFFER COUNSELORS AND MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIANS AT ALL 55 OF ITS SCHOOLS. THE DISTRICT’S BOARD PRESIDENT PROMISED THEY WILL DO EVERYTHING IN THEIR POWER TO ENSURE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES HAVE A PLACE OF SAFETY, HEALING AND SUPPORT. HERE’S A LIVE LOOK OVER THE STATE CAPITOL, WHERE CONDOLENCES CONTINUE TO COME IN TONIGHT. GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM AND FIRST PARTNER JENNIFER SIEBEL NEWSOM POSTED ABOUT THE SHOOTING AGAIN TODAY. THE GOVERNOR SAYING, QUOTE, TODAY LOCAL AUTHORITIES CONFIRMED THE VICTIMS OF THE STOCKTON SHOOTING WERE JUST EIGHT, NINE, 14 AND 21 YEARS OLD. THAT THE ATTACK WAS LIKELY TARGETED. OUR HEARTS BREAK FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND THE ENTIRE STOCKTON COMMUNITY. THE GOVERNOR’S WIFE ADDING ON, QUOTE, WHAT HAPPENED IN STOCKTON IS DEVASTATING. THE GOVERNOR AND I ARE PROFOUNDLY HEARTBROKEN KNOWING THAT THOSE LOST WERE CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE. WE’RE HOLDING STOCKTON, THE FAMILIES IN THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY CLOSE TO OUR HEARTS. GOVERNOR NEWSOM SAYS HE SPOKE WITH THE MAYOR OF STOCKTON LAST NIGHT, OFFERING HIS CONDOLENCES AS WELL AS ANY RESOURCES NEEDED. IN A STATEMENT TODAY, MAYOR CHRISTINA FUGAZI SAID SHE COULD NOT SLEEP AS SHE THOUGHT ABOUT THESE CHILDREN AND THE TRAUMA THAT WILL FOLLOW THEM. SHE WENT ON TO SAY, QUOTE, GANG VIOLENCE EXISTS IN CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BUT THIS WAS A PURE ACT OF TERRORISM, END QUOTE. ANYONE WHO HIDES, SHIELDS OR HARBORS THESE TERRORISTS, YOU’RE PUTTING YOURSELF AT RISK OF HAVING YOUR DOOR KICKED IN, YOUR HOME RAIDED, AND BEING ARRESTED FOR AIDING AND ABETTING. IF YOU PROTECT THEM, YOU BECOME A PART OF THIS AND YOU WILL FACE THE CONSEQUENCES. THE MAYOR URGED ANYONE WITH INFORMATION TO CALL STOCKTON CRIME STOPPERS AND THE NUMBERS THERE ON YOUR SCREEN. (209) 946-0600. THE MAYOR AND COUNCILWOMAN, MARIELA PONCE, HAVE ADDED MONEY TO THE REWARD POOL FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO AN ARREST AND CONVICTION. AS YOU CAN SEE THERE, THE REWARD NOW STANDS AT $25,000 AND YOU CAN REMAIN ANONYMOUS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS FOR YOU ON AIR AND ONLINE. 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By SOPHIE AUSTIN and CHRISTOPHER WEBER Associated Press

Authorities in California urged witnesses of a deadly shooting at a child’s birthday party to come forward as the search for a suspect stretched into another day.Three children ages 8, 9 and 14, and a 21-year-old were killed Saturday when gunfire broke out at a banquet hall in Stockton where at least 100 people were gathered, San Joaquin County Sheriff Patrick Withrow said. Detectives believe the gunfire continued outside and there may have been multiple shooters.Eleven people were also wounded, with at least one in critical condition, he said. No one was in custody by Sunday evening, and the sheriff urged anyone with information to contact his office with tips, cellphone video or witness accounts.“This is a time for our community to show that we will not put up with this type of behavior, when people will just walk in and kill children,” Withrow said. “And so if you know anything about this, you have to come forward and tell us what you know. If not, you just become complacent and think this is acceptable behavior.”Sheriff’s spokesperson Heather Brent said earlier that investigators believe it was a “targeted incident.” Officials did not elaborate on why authorities believe it was intentional or who might have been targeted. She said investigators would welcome any information, “even rumors.”Roscoe Brown said the party was in honor of his brother’s granddaughter, who turned 2 and was uninjured. Brown, who works for the city of Stockton’s Office of Violence Prevention, was in Arizona when he learned about the shooting and drove straight to the scene. He said a niece and nephew of his were shot, and he knows several other victims. He didn’t have information about their conditions.“Who would come and do that to some kids, you know?” Brown told The Associated Press following a vigil organized by faith leaders to honor the dead and pray for the wounded. “You can’t shoot up a party. That’s senseless. A kid’s party, at that.”Emmanuel Lopez told the Los Angeles Times his brother, 21-year-old 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 didn’t share details about what led up to the shooting.Stockton is a city of 320,000 residents about 80 miles east of San Francisco. With 54 homicides in 2024, Stockton’s homicide rate was significantly higher than the state average. As of October, there had been 34 this year, according to city data.Hours after the shooting, the Stockton Police Department arrested five people, including a juvenile, on weapons and gang-related charges. There was no indication that the arrests were connected to the killings at the banquet hall, the sheriff said.Mayor Christina Fugazi told reporters that the 8-year-old victim attended a local school and had a parent who worked for the Stockton Unified School District. The mayor said counselors would be available this week at city schools.She expressed anguish over the loss of victims so young.“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. Breaks my heart,” Fugazi said on Sunday.____Weber reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press writer Ed White in Detroit contributed to this report.

STOCKTON, Calif. —

Authorities in California urged witnesses of a deadly shooting at a child’s birthday party to come forward as the search for a suspect stretched into another day.

Three children ages 8, 9 and 14, and a 21-year-old were killed Saturday when gunfire broke out at a banquet hall in Stockton where at least 100 people were gathered, San Joaquin County Sheriff Patrick Withrow said. Detectives believe the gunfire continued outside and there may have been multiple shooters.

Eleven people were also wounded, with at least one in critical condition, he said. No one was in custody by Sunday evening, and the sheriff urged anyone with information to contact his office with tips, cellphone video or witness accounts.

“This is a time for our community to show that we will not put up with this type of behavior, when people will just walk in and kill children,” Withrow said. “And so if you know anything about this, you have to come forward and tell us what you know. If not, you just become complacent and think this is acceptable behavior.”

Sheriff’s spokesperson Heather Brent said earlier that investigators believe it was a “targeted incident.” Officials did not elaborate on why authorities believe it was intentional or who might have been targeted. She said investigators would welcome any information, “even rumors.”

Roscoe Brown said the party was in honor of his brother’s granddaughter, who turned 2 and was uninjured. Brown, who works for the city of Stockton’s Office of Violence Prevention, was in Arizona when he learned about the shooting and drove straight to the scene. He said a niece and nephew of his were shot, and he knows several other victims. He didn’t have information about their conditions.

“Who would come and do that to some kids, you know?” Brown told The Associated Press following a vigil organized by faith leaders to honor the dead and pray for the wounded. “You can’t shoot up a party. That’s senseless. A kid’s party, at that.”

Emmanuel Lopez told the Los Angeles Times his brother, 21-year-old 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 didn’t share details about what led up to the shooting.

Stockton is a city of 320,000 residents about 80 miles east of San Francisco. With 54 homicides in 2024, Stockton’s homicide rate was significantly higher than the state average. As of October, there had been 34 this year, according to city data.

Hours after the shooting, the Stockton Police Department arrested five people, including a juvenile, on weapons and gang-related charges. There was no indication that the arrests were connected to the killings at the banquet hall, the sheriff said.

Mayor Christina Fugazi told reporters that the 8-year-old victim attended a local school and had a parent who worked for the Stockton Unified School District. The mayor said counselors would be available this week at city schools.

She expressed anguish over the loss of victims so young.

“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. Breaks my heart,” Fugazi said on Sunday.

____

Weber reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press writer Ed White in Detroit contributed to this report.