Mayor Kevin Lincoln and the Stockton Police Department are urging anyone with information regarding the city’s deadly shootings over the weekend to come forward.
Two shootings from Saturday night to early Sunday morning left two people dead and five injured, authorities say.
“It is unacceptable for our community to experience senseless and reckless gun violence,” Lincoln said in a statement. “The City of Stockton will maintain diligence throughout these investigations.”
Both shootings occurred overnight Saturday within a matter of hours and less than two miles apart near the downtown Stockton waterfront. However, police say the two cases do not appear to be related.
Officer Joseph Silva, Stockton Police Department spokesperson, told Stocktonia Monday that the gunfire in both instances began shortly after some type of disturbance, but would not provide further details as investigations are ongoing.
The first round of gunfire rang out just after 11:30 p.m. Saturday inside the Waterfront Warehouse on West Weber Avenue, police said in a department Facebook post. The shooting occurred in the warehouse just outside the La Vaca bar and restaurant, Silva said.
Officers were called to the bar where they found three people with gunshot wounds, one of whom, a 41-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene. The other two victims, a 39-year-old woman and 47-year-old man, were taken to an area hospital with what police described as “non-life-threatening injuries.”
Less than three hours later four more people were shot just down the road in the 1300 block of West Fremont Street, Stockton police said. As officers arrived on scene they noticed some vehicles driving away from the area.
“Officers followed a vehicle which had a gunshot victim to a nearby area hospital,” police said. “The victim, an adult male, died from his injuries at the hospital.”
Three additional men with gunshot wounds were found by other officers at the scene and were also transported to an area hospital with “non-life-threatening injuries.” No other identifying information about the victims has yet been released.
Authorities say that “there is no motive or releasable suspect information” at this time for either shooting.
Despite this weekend’s tragic events, Silva said that Stocktonians shouldn’t be afraid to enjoy their city when the sun goes down.
“We definitely want people to feel safe and go out at night,” Silva said. “But we also want people to be aware of their surroundings and if they see a loud argument getting started or a fight, to call us immediately.”
Stockton police are asking anyone with information about the shootings to come forward by calling the department’s non-emergency number at (209) 937-8377 or its Investigations Division at (209) 937-8323. Anonymous tips can be made to Stockton Crime Stoppers online via the Stockton Police website at StocktonPD.org, by calling (209) 946-0600 or downloading P3 Tips Mobile app.
Stockton Crime Stoppers will pay a cash reward up to $10,000 for information that leads to an arrest.
