Four killed in California child’s birthday party
At least four people have been killed in a mass shooting at a child’s birthday party in California.
Ten other people were injured in the shooting at a restaurant Saturday evening in Stockton, in the north of the state.
Local police say the victims include both adults and children. The condition of the injured has not been confirmed.
A suspect remains at large and police believe the shooting may have been “targeted.”
The San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office said the shooting happened shortly before 6:00 p.m. local time (02:00 GMT Sunday) and called on anyone with “information, video footage or who may have witnessed any part of the incident” to come forward.
Spokeswoman Heather Brent called the incident “unfathomable,” adding, “This is a very active and ongoing investigation, and information remains limited.”
“Initial indications suggest this may have been a targeted incident, and investigators are exploring all possibilities.”
Stockton Mayor Christina Fugazi called the shooting “unacceptable.”
“Families should be together instead of in the hospital, standing next to their loved one, praying that they will survive.”
California has some of the strictest gun laws in the United States and has faced challenges in recent years.
In 2021, a federal judge struck down the state’s ban on assault weapons, like the AR-15 rifle.
The following year, the U.S. Supreme Court expanded gun rights by striking down a New York law restricting the right to bear arms, jeopardizing similar regulations in California.
