The father of 14-year-old Amari Peterson spoke publicly about the loss of his son in the Nov. 29 mass shooting at a children’s birthday party, describing the emotional and financial toll on his family as they navigate what he called “a nightmare” that repeats each day.
Amari was more than just another name on a tragic victim list as a result of a mass shooting at a birthday party over the Thanksgiving weekend, where 13 were injured and four were killed, including three school-aged children.
He was a young athlete from Modesto who played both basketball and youth football, maintained a 3.8 GPA, and was described by his youth-league coach as “the kind of kid we wait for.” He was known as a dependable teammate, a steady student and someone with hope for a future — now cut tragically short.
“I just want the world to know that I love my son… he didn’t deserve this,” said Patrick Peterson, who also has another child recovering from gunshot wounds sustained in the attack that killed their brother. “Every day I wake up and it’s like a nightmare. I don’t know how me and my family are going to get through this.”
Peterson, standing next to Vice Mayor Jason Lee who called the Tuesday morning news conference, said the family is struggling with grief, trauma and the realities of supporting five children while caring for another who was injured.
“We need all the help we can possibly get: mental health, financial help, whatever it is,” he said. “I’m looking in his room, around the corner … it feels like he’s still there.”
He added that once he regains stability, he hopes to do community work in Amari’s honor, particularly for local youth.
Lee urges witnesses to come forward, calls for policy changes
Vice Mayor Jason Lee said he organized the event to shift attention back to the families directly impacted by the shooting and to urge the community to support the ongoing investigation.
“There’s no more important conversation right now than making sure these families get closure,” Lee said. “If you know something, come forward.”
Lee, who has spoken publicly about losing his own brother to gun violence, said the case has triggered memories of his own trauma and emphasized that the focus should remain on identifying and arresting those responsible.
The vice mayor also addressed broader issues he said have contributed to cycles of violence in Stockton. Lee noted that, while the city budget allocates significant funding to police operations, prevention and youth-focused services have received comparatively smaller investments.
“We gave $190 million to the police department… and we put $2 million into prevention services,” he said, arguing that long-term safety requires both law enforcement and sustained community-based interventions.
Lee referenced past efforts such as Advance Peace — a gun-violence prevention program that ended earlier this year following a loss of federal grant funding — and said the city must reassess how it supports outreach workers, youth programming and mental-health services.
He also reiterated his concern over community reluctance to share information with law enforcement, calling the city’s longstanding “no-snitch culture” a major barrier to solving violent crimes.
“My brother’s life was more important than what people thought about me,” Lee said, urging residents to contact investigators. “Everybody knows everybody in this city.”
Community leaders want long-term support
Several speakers, including faith leaders and former violence-prevention workers, echoed the call for both accountability and broader investment.
“We want justice… and real change,” said Pastor William DeArmond Jr. from Hilliard Church, who opened the event with remarks and a prayer for the family. “We are tired of burying our children.”
Nuri Muhammad, a former director with Advance Peace Stockton, said grassroots workers remain “undermanned” and need sustained funding to prevent recurring violence.
“If we make investments in things but don’t make investments in people, we will always have this imbalance,” he said.
Investigation ongoing
The SJ County Sheriff’s Office continues to lead the investigation into the shooting, with assistance from the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Stockton Police Department; and the county District Attorney’s Office.
As of Tuesday, no arrests have been announced.
Reward money for information connected to the case has climbed significantly in recent days.The total available for tips leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible has reached $130,000, with contributions from the FBI and ATF. Stockton Crime Stoppers has also increased its offer to $55,000, which includes $10,000 pledged by Mayor Christina Fugazi and $5,000 from City Councilmember Mariela Ponce.
Investigators continue to urge anyone with information, photos or video from the event to come forward — even anonymously — as the search for the individuals involved continues.
For those with information involving the attack, officials suggest calling the department’s non-emergency line at (209) 468-4400 or Stockton Crime Stoppers at (209) 946-0600. The FBI is accepting information via an online portal. The ATF directs callers to its toll-free tip line at 1-888-283-8477 (ATF TIPS).
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