Children among four killed in horror mass shooting at birthday party in ‘targeted attack’
- Were you witness to the Stockton shooting? Email jensen.bird@dailymail.com
Four people, including children, are dead and ten are injured after a horror shooting broke out at a banquet hall in Stockton, California at 6pm PST.
The incident happened close to a Dairy Queen at a children’s birthday party on Saturday night.
‘Tragedy of this nature is unthinkable and it absolutely breaks our hearts to have loss of life and to have loss of life to children,’ said San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas.
San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Heather Brent called the incident ‘unfathomable’ and said: ‘Early indications suggest this may be a targeted incident.’
The shooter is still at large and Brent added: ‘Our number one priority is identifying a suspect.
‘This is a very active and ongoing investigation, information remains very limited at this time.’
She said injured victims have been transported to the area’s hospitals.
California Governor Newsom has been briefed on the incident. His press office tweeted Saturday night: ‘The Governor’s Office of Emergency Services is monitoring this evolving situation and coordinating with local law enforcement.’
Videos shared to the Citizen app and social media show a huge response from emergency services near the Dairy Queen. Police tape sealed off the area around the fast food outlet.
Police are investigating a shooting in Stockton, California
Vice Mayor Jason Lee called the incident a ‘mass shooting’ which he said took place at a child’s birthday party
The incident took place at a family gathering at a banquet hall
At least four people are dead and ten injured according to a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office
The city’s Vice Mayor Jason Lee described the incident as a ‘mass shooting at a child’s birthday party’ in a Facebook post.
He wrote: ‘Violence touched my life as a young person, and seeing our own children, parents, and neighbors go through this shakes me deeply.
‘Stockton is my home. These are our families. This is our community.
‘Our community deserves to know the truth, and the families impacted deserve justice and every resource available to support them,’ he wrote.
Lee said he was in contact with public safety officials and will be ‘pushing for answers.’
People were quick to express their horror and anguish of the night’s events, commenting on Lee’s post.
‘Stockton needs change so bad. This breaks my heart,’ one Facebook user said.
Another added: ‘Get these guns off the streets, this is terrible. Babies getting shot.’
Police taped off the area at a local shopping center which included a Dairy Queen
Several local agencies were on the scene including the mayor (center left), the district attorney’s office, and the sheriff’s office
A representative for the sheriff’s office said it could have been a ‘targeted incident’
Police said that injured victims have been transported to the area’s hospitals
While a third said: ‘Prayers to all and especially our babies that did not deserve to experience and witness such horror.’
Officers have warned residents to stay away from the area.
‘We are urging anyone with information, video footage, or who may have witnessed any part of this incident to contact the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office immediately’ they wrote on social media.
‘Community assistance is vital in helping us identify those responsible and bring justice to the victims and their loved ones.’
Detectives are working to determine a motive.
Stockton is located along the San Joaquin River in central California. It is located about 45 miles south of Sacramento and has a population of 320,000.
This is a breaking news story – check back for updates.