On Saturday night, a children’s birthday party—usually a joyous occasion—turned into a mass shooting, leaving three children and one adult dead and 11 others injured. The suspect remains at large.
The tragedy in Stockton, California, highlights the growing number of everyday locations in American communities—schools, shopping malls, bars, and office buildings—suffering from gun violence.
According to Heather Brent, a spokeswoman for the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, children and adults were injured in the shooting. Officials have not yet released information on those taken to local hospitals.
“Initial indications suggest this may have been a targeted incident,” Brent said at a press conference. She added, “This is a very active and ongoing investigation, and information is still limited at this time.” Brent stated on Sunday that the victims were aged 8, 9, 14, and 21. Authorities have not yet released the names of the victims.
According to the sheriff’s office, the shooting occurred before 6 p.m. in the northern part of the city. Brent stated that the banquet hall shared a parking lot with several businesses, including a Dairy Queen establishment, and a family gathering was taking place at the time. Investigators said it was a birthday party for a young child, attended by approximately 100 to 150 people. Stockton is located about 40 miles south of Sacramento.
(This article is excerpted from CNN News.)
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