A community in California is in mourning after a mass shooting at a young child's birthday party left four people dead, including three children, and at least 11 others injured.
Victims Identified as Community Seeks Answers
The tragic incident occurred on Saturday, 30 November 2025, at a banquet hall in Stockton, a city in California's Central Valley. More than 100 people had gathered to celebrate a two-year-old's birthday when gunfire erupted. The deadly attack claimed the lives of Amari Peterson, aged 14, Susano Archuleta, 21, and two other children aged eight and nine.
Authorities have not formally released the names of all victims, but heartbroken families have come forward. Patrick Peterson described the horrifying moment he saw his son, Amari, shot just above the heart. "All I can see is my son crawling on the ground and me trying to resuscitate him," he told local media. Amari's sister was also grazed by a bullet during the chaos.
In a poignant online tribute, loved ones described Amari as a "bright, loved, and promising young soul" who enjoyed football and basketball. They vehemently stated he was not involved in gang activity and was simply "in the wrong place at the wrong time."
A Targeted Attack with Multiple Shooters
Police are investigating the shooting as a potentially targeted incident and believe multiple shooters may have been involved. Stockton's Mayor, Christina Fugazi, suggested the violence was gang-related, though investigators have not publicly confirmed a motive.
Heather Brent, a spokesperson for the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office, urged the public to come forward with any information, "even rumours," to aid the ongoing search for suspects. The shooting has sent shockwaves through Stockton, a city of approximately 320,000 residents located east of San Francisco.
Emmanuel Lopez, brother of 21-year-old victim Susano Archuleta, said his sibling was "full of life and energy" and had been attending the party for a friend's daughter. "He died in my arms," Lopez revealed.
Broader Context of US Gun Violence
Among the injured was local anti-violence advocate Jasmine Dellafosse. The city's former mayor, Michael Tubbs, said she was "in deep mourning because she saw those babies, as she called them, murdered next to her."
This shooting marks the 17th mass killing in the United States this year, according to a database maintained by the Associated Press and USA Today. While this figure represents a 20-year low since 2006, experts caution it may signify a return to average levels following a spike in previous years, rather than a sustained downward trend.
The community held a vigil on Sunday, 1 December, where residents like Beatriz Vega, Ellein White, and Luz Guzman stood together in prayer, seeking solace and strength in the wake of the unspeakable tragedy.
