STOCKTON, Calif.: A gunman opened fire at a crowded family celebration inside a north Stockton banquet hall Saturday evening, killing four people, including an 8-year-old child, and injuring at least ten others before fleeing the scene, authorities said.
The shooting happened just before 6 p.m. at a private event venue in the 4400 block of Waterloo Road, a commercial strip that shares a parking lot with several businesses, including a Dairy Queen.
San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Heather Brent said early evidence suggests the attack was targeted. Both children and adults were among those shot.
“Detectives are actively working to identify the shooter and determine a motive,” Brent told reporters late Saturday. “This remains a very active investigation.”
Victims ranged in age from 8 to 22 years old, according to Stockton City Councilmember Michele Padilla, who represents the district where the shooting occurred.
“This was a family gathering with birthdays, babies, and grandparents present,” Padilla said in a statement. “An eight-year-old child is among the four lives lost. Our community is heartbroken.”
Ten injured victims were rushed to local hospitals. Authorities have not released their conditions or the names of the deceased as investigators continue notifying next of kin.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has been briefed on the incident, and his office confirmed the state has offered full resources to local law enforcement and affected families.
Stockton Mayor Christina Fugazi called the shooting “a heartbreaking and painful tragedy” and asked residents to keep the victims, their families, and first responders in their thoughts and prayers.
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The San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office is leading the investigation and urges anyone with information, cell phone video, or photos from the event to call its tip line at (209) 468-4400.
Saturday’s violence marks at least the 380th mass shooting in the United States this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which defines a mass shooting as any incident in which four or more people are shot, excluding the shooter. The search for the suspect continues.
