Four dead, including 3 children, in ‘targeted’ California birthday party shooting; assailants still at large

Los Angeles: Four people, three of them children, were killed and 11 others injured after gunmen opened fire at a birthday party in California, authorities said on Sunday, describing the incident as a targeted attack that may have involved multiple shooters.

The shooting occurred on Saturday evening inside a banquet hall in Stockton, north-east of San Francisco, where between 100 and 150 people had gathered for the celebration.

San Joaquin County Sheriff Patrick Withrow told reporters that the victims were aged eight, nine, 14 and 21. At least one of the 11 injured remained in a critical condition, and the sheriff said he had no further details on the others.

"We believe, from what we've gathered so far, that it appears to be multiple shooters," Withrow said, urging members of the public to stay alert as the investigation continues. His spokeswoman, Heather Brent, earlier described the attack as "targeted".

No arrests have yet been made, and the sheriff’s office appealed for witnesses or anyone with video footage to come forward. Withrow condemned the brutality of the attack, saying, "These animals walked in and shot children at a children's birthday party, and none of us should stand for that. And so if you know anything about this, you have to come forward and tell us what you know."

Stockton’s mayor, Christina Fugazi, announced a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the perpetrators. While Sheriff Withrow said he could not yet confirm whether the shooting was gang-related, Fugazi expressed her own view, writing on Facebook, "Let us call this what it is. Gang violence exists in cities across the country, but this act was a pure act of terrorism."

Withrow said firearms had been discovered on the roof of the building where the shooting took place, though it remained unclear whether they were connected to the incident.

California Governor Gavin Newsom had been briefed, his office confirmed on social media.

According to the Gun Violence Archive, which defines a mass shooting as an incident in which four or more people are shot, the Stockton attack brings the total number of mass shootings in the United States this year to 504.

AFP