Stockton Birthday Party Mass Shooting Claims Four Lives, Including 14-Year-Old Amari Peterson

 

A 14-year-old boy has been identified as one of the four victims killed during a mass shooting at a children’s birthday party in Stockton over the weekend, as the community grapples with the tragedy and schools mobilize mental health support.

Amari Peterson was among those fatally shot Saturday evening at a banquet hall where a child’s birthday celebration was underway, his family revealed in a GoFundMe campaign seeking help with funeral costs. The other victims were ages 8, 9, and 21, while 11 additional people suffered injuries. The family of the 21-year-old victim identified him as Susano Archuleta, though authorities have not yet released official names.

San Joaquin County Sheriff Patrick Withrow said one victim remained in critical condition, with the status of the others still unclear. Investigators believe multiple shooters were involved, with gunfire erupting inside the crowded hall and continuing outside. Between 100 and 150 people were attending the party.

Stockton Mayor Christina Fugazi described the incident as gang-related, although the Sheriff’s Office has not confirmed that. Amari’s family stressed that he had no gang involvement, saying, “The only mistake this sweet boy made was being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was simply being a kid at a kids’ party.”

Mayor Fugazi said she has contacted the Governor’s Office, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the White House, urging a sustained, coordinated response to gang violence in the city. “We need a full panel of people here… all working together to stop this,” she said.

Witnesses described scenes of terror as shots rang out. One woman told CBS News Sacramento that her 22-year-old niece was among the injured and recounted her sister’s frantic call during the attack, describing children hiding under a bounce house and behind a flipped table. “She said it sounded like it was never going to stop… Babies were everywhere, on the ground.”

The 8-year-old victim was a third-grade student in the Stockton Unified School District (SUSD), and the child’s mother works for the district. Counselors were deployed across all 55 campuses Monday, with crisis teams specifically supporting the victim’s school. SUSD Superintendent Dr. Michelle Rodriguez said the shooting has shaken the entire district. “When you have a mass shooting in a community, it doesn’t just impact one school; it impacts all 55.”

Parents, teachers, and students are being encouraged to request counseling or support directly. Information about 24-hour resources has been posted on the district’s website.

San Joaquin Delta College also announced that it is offering both in-person and virtual counseling to its students. “This loss touches all of us deeply,” the college said. “But Stockton has always shown extraordinary resilience… We know this community will rally around the affected families.”

The investigation into the shooters and motive remains ongoing.