Law enforcement officials have released surveillance footage of vehicles suspected of being involved in the mass shooting at a child’s birthday party that occurred over the Thanksgiving weekend in north Stockton.
Four people, including three school-aged children, were killed in the attack and at least 13 others were injured.
The San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, the lead investigative agency in the case, is asking for the public’s help to identify and locate the vehicles, according to a Saturday social media post. It is the first update released by law enforcement
“Detectives have located surveillance video of two vehicles suspected to be involved in the incident,” sheriff’s officials said. “Anyone with information on the vehicles depicted or the suspects involved are encouraged to come forward.”
The blurry photos, which are screen grabs of video images, appear to show two sedans, one white and the other silver, without visible license plates. The photos are the first update in the case provided to the public in more than a month.
The shooting at an event space on Lucille Avenue in north Stockton on Nov. 29 occurred around 6 p.m. while a group of over 100 people were celebrating the birthday of a 2-year-old girl. Guests at the party say they were gathering around the cake to sing Happy Birthday before shots rang out.
The shooting, carried out by multiple gunmen, had “started indoors” before making its way outside the banquet hall, according to the sheriff’s office.
Investigators have revealed little about the case, other than to say that at least 50 shots were fired from five guns. Authorities would not say whether some of the bullet casings found at the scene were return gunfire from partygoers shooting back at the attackers.
In the days following the shooting, friends and family members gradually identified those killed as 8-year-old cousins Maya Lupian and Journey Rose Reotutar Guerrero; Modesto youth basketball star Amari Peterson, 14; and Susano Archuleta, 21, who had reportedly rushed to protect those near him during the shooting.
The sheriff’s office have described the attack as “targeted” but have not confirmed a motive or whether the shooting is considered to be gang related, despite other public officials raising questions of possible gang connections in varying — and at times conflicting — degrees.
According to parole documents, a joint investigation by the Sheriff’s Office, the Stockton Police Department and the FBI determined that multiple “gang sets” were present at the time of the attack.
No arrests have been made, and suspect information provided to the public has been vague. SJ County Sheriff Patrick Withrow has described the suspects as wearing masks and dark clothing — the only physical description that’s been provided to the public.
“Detectives have been working diligently to identify and locate the suspects responsible,” the sheriff’s office said Saturday in its social media post.
There is a $130,00 reward for information leading to arrests in the case.
The sheriff’s office asks anyone with information on the wanted cars to send an anonymous tip by texting the word “SJSOTIP” followed by their message to 847411. Tips can also be submitted to the sheriff’s office online by visiting the department’s TIP411 page or by calling (209) 468-5087, or by calling Stockton Crime Stoppers at (209) 946-0600.
Information will be shared with the public as it comes, the sheriff’s office previously told Stocktonia.
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