‘We need to make a change today’: Prayer vigil held in Stockton after mass shooting
By Daniel Macht, Nijzel Dotson, Anahita Jafary
Click here for updates on this story
STOCKTON, California (KCRA) — Stockton-area faith leaders and community members held a vigil in Stockton on Sunday, a day after four people died and 11 others were hurt in a shooting.
Faith in the Valley organized the vigil at 9299 Thornton Road. Stockton Mayor Christina Fugazi and Stockton Vice Mayor Jason Lee also spoke at the event.
Saturday’s mass shooting took place during a family gathering at a banquet hall in the 1900 block of Lucile Avenue in Stockton before 6 p.m., according to the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office. Lee described the event as a birthday party.
A San Joaquin County sheriff’s spokesperson said Sunday that those who died were ages 8, 9, 14, and 21.
Multiple speakers shared the sentiment that the community needs to come together to prevent violence like this in the city’s future and the families directly impacted will need an abundance of support.
Lee and Fugazi both emphasized that those incited to retaliate after Saturday’s shooting must make the choice to stand down.
“Parents brought their children out and they left with medical examiners, that is not human. To those who are thinking of retaliation, when my brother got murdered I thought about it too,” Lee said. “It’s human to want to hurt people who hurt people you love, but I had a choice to make, and I hope people in our community make the right choice and contact law enforcement, call me, call the mayor.”
Fugazi’s message was more blunt: Put the gun down.
The suspect is still at large and the shooting is still under investigation, the sheriff’s office confirmed. The victims range in age from children to adults.
Officials described the shooting as targeted.
Michelle Rodriguez, Stockton Unified School District Superintendent, said that one of the children killed was a district student and their parent is a teacher.
“I got choked up when I spoke to her today and then I had to pull myself together because I needed to be strong for her,” said Rodriguez, who was among the vigil crowd. “Obviously, children are what we care about and so it’s really hard for us, but we also believe in being strong for those that need it the most.”
Richard Stoeckl, a community organizer with Faith in the Valley, said he hopes the visit is a starting point for people to “wake up” and “get involved” in the community.
This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.