DEVELOPING STORY: Nearly two dozen people were shot at a child’s birthday party Saturday in Stockton, California. An untold number of children are also believed to be among the victims. This page will be updated throughout the evening and click here to get my breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox.
Shooting Happened Near Ice Cream Shop
Stockton Vice Mayor Jason Lee said on Facebook that the shooting occurred at a child’s birthday party that was taking place at an ice cream shop in the area.
“Tonight, my heart is heavy in a way that’s hard to put into words. As Vice Mayor of Stockton — and as someone who grew up in this community — I am devastated and angry to learn about the mass shooting at a child’s birthday party,” Lee said.
Sheriff’s officials said several victims were taken to hospitals, but the exact number of wounded and their conditions was not known.
Following, is the vice mayor’s full statement:
Tonight, my heart is heavy in a way that’s hard to put into words. As Vice Mayor of Stockton — and as someone who grew up in this community — I am devastated and angry to learn about the mass shooting at a child’s birthday party. An ice cream shop should never be a place where families fear for their lives.
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.
I am in contact with staff and public safety officials to understand exactly what happened, and I will be pushing for answers. Our community deserves to know the truth, and the families impacted deserve justice and every resource available to support them.
Tonight, I’m sending my thoughts, prayers, and love to the families who are hurting, to the children who witnessed this trauma, and to everyone across our city who feels this pain.
Please God, uplift our community. We don’t deserve this. And we will not accept this as our norm.