Four people were killed and at least 10 injured Saturday evening after a gunman entered a family event at a banquet hall in Stockton.
Shortly before 6 p.m., the San Joaquin County sheriff’s office was flooded with 911 calls reporting a shooting, and saying children as young as 9 were bleeding, including a 15-year-old boy who was not breathing.
Deputies responded to the 1900 block of Lucile Avenue near a Dairy Queen and found shooting victims in the parking lot, and a large number of people panicked and screaming.
The sheriff’s preliminary investigation suggests the incident was a targeted attack, said public information officer Heather Brent. Investigators are still considering all possibilities, she said.
Witnesses at the shooting described a lone gunman, 5-foot-6, wearing black pants, according to police dispatches. An area resident told ABC10 that he heard several rounds of gunfire.
Speaking at the scene, Brent said deputies were still investigating whether multiple people fired guns during the attack. Victims were inside the banquet hall at the time of the shooting, she said.
Ambulances transported some of the victims, and others arrived at the hospital on their own, including two men who walked into St. Joseph’s Medical Center with gunshot wounds.
“Tonight, my heart is heavy in a way that’s hard to put into words,” said Stockton Vice Mayor Jason Lee in a statement posted on Facebook. “I am in contact with staff and public safety officials to understand exactly what happened, and I will be pushing for answers.”
Lee said in his statement that the shooting occurred at a child’s birthday party.
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office noted on social media that the state Office of Emergency Services was monitoring the “evolving situation and coordinating with local law enforcement.”
Multiple law enforcement agencies were involved in the investigation, including the FBI. The San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Department is leading the case. Brent said police are asking potential witnesses to come forward.
