Four killed in shooting at California family gathering in Stockton banquet hall

Four killed at California family event

At least four people were killed and ten others injured during a mass shooting at a family gathering in Stockton, California. The attack took place on Saturday evening at a banquet hall, where relatives had come together to celebrate a family occasion, described by officials as a children’s birthday party.

Location and timing

The shooting happened shortly before 6 p.m. local time at a banquet venue on Lucile Avenue in Stockton, a city of roughly 320,000 residents in California’s Central Valley. The hall is located near local businesses including a Dairy Queen and a children’s theater, underscoring how the violence erupted in a busy, family‑oriented area.

Victims and casualties

Authorities confirmed that fourteen people were struck by gunfire, with four fatally wounded and ten taken to area hospitals. The victims include both adults and children, and at least one child is among the dead, but officials have not yet released detailed information about ages or conditions of the injured.

Police response and investigation

San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office deputies and other local agencies responded, securing the scene and starting an investigation that remains active. Spokesperson Heather Brent called the shooting “unfathomable” and said early indications suggest it may have been a targeted attack, though investigators are still exploring all possibilities.

Suspect and public safety

No suspect has been arrested, and officials say it is still unclear whether shots were fired from inside or outside the banquet hall. The sheriff’s office is working with Stockton police, the FBI and other law enforcement agencies, while urging anyone with information or video from the area to come forward.

Political and national reaction

California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office said he had been briefed on what it called a “horrific” shooting and that state emergency services are coordinating with local authorities. The attack adds to the grim tally of mass shootings in the United States this year, with hundreds of such incidents recorded nationwide by the Gun Violence Archive.

“This may be a targeted incident. Our primary focus at this moment is to identify the suspect involved,” a sheriff’s office spokesperson said, emphasizing how limited the available information remains.

Author’s summary

A family celebration in Stockton turned into a deadly mass shooting with four killed, including at least one child, highlighting once again the scale and trauma of gun violence in the United States.

Le Monde.fr — 2025-11-30