NEW: 14 Individuals, Together with Youngsters, Shot In California Mass Taking pictures
At least 14 people were shot, including multiple children under the age of 10, in a mass shooting that unfolded at a banquet hall in Stockton, California on Saturday night.
The shooting occurred shortly before 6 p.m. Pacific Time in the 1900 block of Lucile Avenue, in a commercial strip mall area in north Stockton, a city of about 320,000 residents located roughly 40 miles south of Sacramento and 50 miles east of San Francisco. The banquet hall, which shares a parking lot with nearby businesses including a Dairy Queen and a children’s theater, was hosting between 100 and 150 people for the family gathering when gunfire erupted.
Authorities from the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office reported that approximately 14 individuals were struck by gunfire, with four fatalities confirmed among them, including three children aged 8, 9, and 14, and one adult aged 21. The gunfire erupted during what officials have described as a child’s birthday party.
Disturbing footage from the scene showed a swarm of police and EMS personnel swarming the scene late Saturday night, some of whom were seen giving chest compressions.
The remaining 10 victims — a mixture of children and adults — were transported to local hospitals such as St. Joseph’s Medical Center, which went into lockdown as a mass casualty protocol.
While official updates on the conditions of all wounded victims have not been provided as of Sunday afternoon, reports indicate a mix of critical and stable statuses.
Investigators have yet to locate a suspect, prompting an urgent manhunt involving the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, Stockton Police Department, Manteca Police Department, and the FBI. Sheriff’s office spokesperson Heather Brent confirmed during a late-night press conference that deputies engaged in a brief vehicle pursuit with two male suspects following the shooting, but they evaded capture.
Authorities have not publicly released a description, vehicle details, or identities and have urged the public to come forward with tips via a dedicated hotline. A $5,000 reward is being offered by the nonprofit Youth Peace & Justice Foundation for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.
Early indications from investigators point to the shooting being a targeted incident, possibly linked to local criminal groups or gang activity, though no definitive motive has been established as of the latest updates. Speculation has arisen in media reports about potential connections to Stockton’s underground rap scene, with unconfirmed rumors suggesting rappers MBnel and Fly Boy Doughy — both of whom have prior arrests in gang-related probes — may have been intended targets.
The investigation remains active, with no weapons recovered at the scene yet, and authorities are exploring whether the attack stemmed from a personal dispute, retaliation, or broader criminal feud. San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas vowed a thorough probe, stating, “We are doing everything possible to bring the individual that’s responsible for this to justice.”