A festive atmosphere, typical of a child’s birthday party, was cruelly shattered Saturday night by a mass shooting, resulting in the tragic deaths of three children and one adult, with eleven others injured. The person believed responsible remains at large.
This devastating incident in Stockton, California, joins a grimly lengthening catalog of American localities where commonplace settings—such as educational institutions, retail hubs, bars, and workplaces—have become scenes of firearm-related carnage.
Both minors and adults sustained gunshot wounds, as confirmed by Heather Brent, a spokesperson for the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities have not yet disclosed the current medical status of those transported to nearby medical facilities.
“Initial findings point towards this potentially being a targeted event,” Brent stated during a press briefing. “This remains a very active and developing investigation, meaning details are currently scarce,” she added.
The deceased individuals were individuals aged 8, 9, 14, and 21, Brent reported on Sunday. Law enforcement has withheld the identities of the victims.
Sheriff Patrick Withrow appealed to the public on Sunday, urging residents to continue relaying any relevant information to his department regarding the event, regardless of how insignificant it might seem.
“I have faith in our personnel and the groundwork we’ve already laid to locate these monsters who committed this act and ensure they face consequences, but public assistance remains crucial.” Withrow commented.
According to the sheriff’s office, the shooting took place shortly before 6 p.m. in the northern sector of the city. Brent noted that investigators were informed the celebration was a young child’s birthday party, attended by between 100 and 150 guests, held in a banquet hall that shares a parking area with several businesses, including a Dairy Queen. Stockton is situated approximately 40 miles south of Sacramento.
Super Bowl LVIII victory parade on February 14, 2024, in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)
Key Facts Regarding Mass Shootings in the US
The presumed assailant managed to escape and is still evading capture, Brent confirmed. Authorities are appealing for public assistance with information as detectives work to establish a potential motive. “Investigators are considering all avenues,” Brent remarked.
“We are certain this was not a random occurrence,” Withrow asserted Sunday. “We will refrain from classifying it as gang-related or otherwise until we have all the established facts before us.”
Withrow shared that he traveled for eight hours straight, feeling compelled to “put down my grandbabies to come hunt down these animals who took somebody else’s babies away from them.”
“My deepest sympathies go out to the families of those lost, the wounded, and everyone who survived,” expressed former Representative Gabby Giffords, who herself survived gun violence and founded the organization GIFFORDS, which advocates against firearm violence.
“While we await further specifics about the shooting, the painfully clear necessity is for our federal leadership to take decisive action to halt gun violence.”
First responders close off a parking lot near the scene of a mass shooting Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, in Stockton, Calif.
First responders close off a parking lot near the scene of a mass shooting Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, in Stockton, Calif. Ethan Swope/AP
As of this year, the US has seen a minimum of 380 mass shootings—defined by the Gun Violence Archive as incidents where at least four individuals are shot, excluding the perpetrator—according to data compilations.
In January, an incident at Martin’s Super Market in Elkhart, Indiana, resulted in two fatalities and injuries to two police officers. In August, an individual entered the foyer of a Manhattan high-rise, killed an officer, and then turned their weapon on other unsuspecting individuals. The following month in Colorado, a shooting at Evergreen High School critically injured two students after a peer allegedly opened fire during their third week of classes.
Governor Gavin Newsom of California has been apprised of the details of the shooting, according to his office.
“Our collective hearts ache for the families involved and the entirety of the Stockton community,” Newsom posted on X on Sunday.
Stockton Mayor Christina Fugazi communicated in a prepared statement that the governor has “extended the full backing of the state of California” to provide assistance to the city.
“Our city is grappling with a devastating and agonizing situation tonight,” Fugazi wrote. “Please keep the victims, their loved ones, and our emergency personnel in your thoughts and prayers.”
This report has been revised to incorporate more recent details.
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