NEWTOWN, Conn. – Three children and one adult were killed when a mass shooting took place on Saturday at a child’s birthday party that was held at a banquet hall in Stockton, California. The ages of the deceased victims were 8, 9, 14, and 21. Also, eleven other people were wounded by gunfire in the attack, and at least one individual was reported to be in critical condition. Authorities have said the shooting may have been a “targeted incident,” and that more than one shooter may have been involved.
There have been at least 28 mass shootings in California since the start of 2025, according to the Gun Violence Archive. Firearms are the third-leading cause of death among California children and teens.
In response to Saturday’s attack, Nicole Hockley, co-founder and CEO of Sandy Hook Promise and mother of Dylan who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy, issued the following statement:
“When a loved one – a precious child – is ripped away from you like this, it turns your entire world inside out. It’s something that I know very deeply. This is a trauma that no one should ever experience, especially during an innocent birthday event when families should be celebrating with one another. Instead, they’re now grieving from such a profoundly evil and senseless attack. I stand with the victims of this terrible tragedy and the community of Stockton in our call for justice. I also stand in shared rage that mass shootings continue to be a dire threat to our children. We have the power to change this when we come together to act, and our kids need us to act now.
“As the investigation into this attack unfolds, we will be looking to law enforcement to understand what warning signs led up to this event. These signals provide some of our best opportunities for intervention and prevention. The ability to recognize these signs and act quickly is how a tragedy can be stopped, and lives can be saved.”
For more resources for how communities can heal after a mass shooting, as well as information about how to talk to children about gun violence, and other details about proven violence prevention programs, please visit sandyhookpromise.org.
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Sandy Hook Promise (SHP) envisions a future where all children are free from school shootings and other acts of violence. As a national nonprofit organization, SHP’s mission is to educate and empower youth and adults to prevent violence in schools, homes, and communities. Creators of the life-saving, evidence-informed “Know the Signs” prevention programs, SHP teaches the warning signs of someone who may be in crisis, socially isolated, or at-risk of hurting themselves or others and how to get help. SHP also advances school safety, youth mental health, and responsible gun ownership at the state and federal levels through nonpartisan policy and partnerships. SHP is led by several family members whose loved ones were killed in the tragic mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012.
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