At least four people have been killed and ten others injured after a mass shooting erupted at a family gathering in Stockton, northern California, on Saturday evening.
Police say the casualties include both adults and children, though the conditions of those injured have not yet been released. The attack happened at a local restaurant shortly before 6:00 p.m. (02:00 GMT on Sunday).
Authorities believe the shooting may have been targeted, and the suspect remains at large. The deputy mayor initially described the incident as happening “at a children’s birthday party,” though police have not confirmed the exact nature of the event, only that it was a family gathering.
“A birthday party should never be a place where families fear for their lives,” Deputy Mayor Jason Lee wrote on social media.
Heather Brent, spokeswoman for the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, called the shooting “unfathomable,” adding that the investigation is still active and details remain limited. She urged anyone with information or video evidence to come forward.
Stockton Mayor Christina Fugazi condemned the violence, saying: “Families should be together instead of at the hospital, standing next to their loved one, praying that they survive.”
California—known for having some of the strictest gun laws in the U.S.—has faced ongoing legal challenges to its firearm regulations. In 2021, a federal judge overturned the state’s ban on certain assault weapons, and in 2022, a U.S. Supreme Court ruling expanded gun-carrying rights nationwide, affecting California’s restrictions.
Authorities continue to search for the suspect as the community reels from the tragedy.
