It Was Supposed to Be a Celebration: Stockton Community Mourns After Birthday Party Mass Shooting Leaves 4 Dead, 10 Injured

Stockton, Calif. — November 29, 2025
The balloons were still taped to the walls when the gunfire started. What had been a joyful birthday celebration for a child—filled with music, families, and the sound of kids running between tables—was shattered in seconds on Saturday evening at a banquet hall on Lucile Avenue.

By night’s end, four lives were gone—three of them children—and 10 to 11 more guests lay wounded. A community that came together for a child’s birthday was left broken by an act of violence that no one who survived the night will ever forget.

“They were just babies,” one neighbor whispered as candles were placed outside the hall hours after the shooting. “This wasn’t supposed to happen here. Not to them.”

A Party Meant for Joy Turns Into Chaos

Around 100 to 150 people had gathered—parents sharing food, grandparents holding babies, children chasing each other between tables. Witnesses say the celebration was just getting started when shots tore through the air shortly before 6 p.m.

For many inside, the moment was surreal. “We thought it was fireworks at first,” said a mother who attended with her two young children. “Then everyone started screaming. People were trying to find their kids in the dark, trying to hide, trying to run.”

The victims include children aged 8, 9, and 14, and 21-year-old Susano Archuleta, whose family says he had gone to support a friend’s family hosting the gathering.

Several of the injured remain hospitalized.

A City Searching for Answers and Holding Each Other Close

On Sunday morning, Stockton Vice Mayor Jason Lee stood near the growing memorial outside the banquet hall—flowers, handwritten notes, and stuffed animals placed gently on the sidewalk.

“It shouldn’t take tragedy for us to see the value of every child’s life,” Lee said, his voice cracking. “We will fight for justice. We will take care of these families. But today, we grieve.”

Local churches and community groups spent the afternoon organizing prayer circles, vigils, and meal deliveries for affected families. Volunteers offered rides, childcare, and emotional support. Others gathered simply to sit in silence with strangers who felt like family for the first time.

“This city knows pain,” said Pastor Maria Delgado, who has led vigils for previous tragedies. “But Stockton also knows how to hold each other in love. That’s what we’re doing tonight.”

When Violence Finds Its Way Into Sacred Spaces

For many, the shooting hit harder because it happened during something as intimate and sacred as a child’s birthday party—a moment meant to celebrate life.

“These places are supposed to be safe,” said a local youth counselor. “They are where kids feel free, where families feel whole. When violence enters those spaces, the trauma runs deep.”

Parents across Stockton expressed fear and heartbreak online. Some admitted they were unsure how to explain to their own children what had happened, or how to reassure them that their next celebration would be safe.

A City in Mourning, but Not in Silence

Though the motive remains unknown and no arrests have been made, community leaders say they refuse to allow fear to define the days ahead.

Residents have begun leaving notes for the families: “We see you.”
“Your children matter to us.”
“We mourn with you.”

Vigils are planned throughout the week, with counselors and chaplains offering support. Schools are preparing grief resources for students who may have known the victims.

Holding Space for Grief and Compassion

This tragedy joins a long list of gun-related incidents affecting gatherings that are supposed to feel safe—birthday parties, backyard barbecues, school events. But for Stockton, this one carries a uniquely heavy weight.

“This is not statistics. These are families,” said a community organizer. “These are children who should still be laughing today.”

In the coming days, investigations will continue, officials will give updates, and the search for answers will intensify. But for now, Stockton is doing what communities do in their darkest hours—lighting candles, saying prayers, bringing food, holding hands, and reminding each other that even in pain, they are not alone.