Four Killed As Gunfire Rocks Child’s Birthday Party In California; Numerous Injured

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

STOCKTON, USA (Worthy News) – A child’s birthday party in the U.S. state of California turned into tragedy late Saturday as gunfire broke out, killing four people and injuring at least 10 others, including children and adults, authorities said. No details were immediately available about any attacker following the shooting in the northern California city of Stockton.

“I am in contact with staff and public safety officials to understand exactly what happened, and I will be pushing for answers,” Stockton’s Vice Mayor Jason Lee said on social media.

Police said they received reports shortly before 6:00 p.m. local time of a shooting near the 1900 block of Lucile Avenue in Stockton. “Oh my God,” a witness could be heard saying in video footage obtained by Worthy News. A responder was seen giving emergency medical attention to a victim as people shouted in panic and multiple police vehicles rushed to the scene.

GOVERNOR UPDATED ON “HORRIFIC SHOOTING”

California Governor Gavin Newsom said he is being kept informed about “the horrific shooting” in Stockton.

Several social media channels claimed Filipino-American rapper MBNel was at the child’s birthday party, but authorities have not confirmed those claims.

MBNel, whose real name is Jhonel Dongon, was born and raised in Stockton, and his music draws heavily on his experiences growing up there, including exposure to street violence and hardship.

In interviews, he has spoken about being shot at when he was 14 and losing friends to street-life consequences.

SHOOTING SPARKS BROADER GUN VIOLENCE CONCERNS

The latest shooting underscored broader concerns about gun violence in the United States, where weapons are relatively easily available.

In 2023, a total of 46,728 people were killed by gun violence in the United States, according to the Johns Hopkins research center.

More than half of the cases involved suicide, while nearly 38 percent were homicides — figures far higher than in other wealthy nations, researchers said.

Among children and teenagers aged one to seventeen, gun violence remains the leading cause of death in the United States, experts warn.

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