Police are offering a reward for information leading to the arrest of two masked men who fatally shot a 60-year-old street vendor during an apparent robbery attempt in Stockton.
The shooting occurred about 8:50 p.m. Friday when the men approached the push-cart vendor in the 1600 block of south California Street, officers said.
The vendor, identified by the San Joaquin County Medical Examiner as Ignacio Garcia, became involved in an altercation with the men, authorities said. One fired a shot that struck Garcia in the hip. The two then grabbed some “property” — police on Monday did not say whether it was cash or something else — and fled in a vehicle.
Garcia was rushed to a hospital, where he died, authorities said.
Mayor Christina Fugazi said Garcia was known as “a kind, humble and hardworking man — a husband and father who dedicated himself to providing for his family.”
“His death is a devastating reminder of the violence that too many in our city face,” Fugazi said in a statement. “This heinous act has not only shaken a neighborhood, but it has impacted all of Stockton.”
Garcia’s slaying marks the 14th homicide of the year in Stockton, compared to 23 at this time last year, police said.
Detectives are interviewing neighbors, any witness and checking nearby surveillance camera footage as they investigate the fatal shooting. Police urge anyone with information about the shooting to contact Stockton Crime Stopper at (209) 946-0600, which pays a reward up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest.
In emphasizing a need for the public’s help and promising to support the Police Department in their investigation, Fugazi said: “We will not tolerate this kind of violence in our community.”