Four people have been killed and fourteen others injured after a mass shooting at a children’s birthday party in northern California.
Authorities in San Joaquin County said the attack unfolded just before 6pm inside a banquet hall in Stockton, about sixty four kilometres south of Sacramento.
Both children and adults were among the victims.
In a statement, the San Joaquin County sheriff’s office said fourteen people were struck by gunfire and four of them died at the scene.
Officials described the situation as an active investigation with limited information available. At a later briefing, spokesperson Heather Brent said early findings suggest the attack may have been targeted, though the motive remains unclear.
The shooter has not been arrested, and police are appealing to the public for assistance as detectives piece together the events that led to the shooting.
Authorities did not immediately release the identities or conditions of the victims. Those wounded were taken to multiple hospitals across the region for treatment.
The sheriff’s office issued a message of sympathy to the families affected, calling the incident an act of senseless violence. They urged anyone with information, video footage or eyewitness details to contact investigators as soon as possible.
San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas echoed the appeal, urging the public to help identify the person responsible. He also called on the shooter to surrender to authorities.
The investigation continues as officers work to establish what triggered the attack at what had been a routine family celebration.
