Two more victims of the Stockton mass shooting have sought medical treatment, bringing the total number of people injured or killed to 17, according to authorities. The two men arrived at a nearby hospital with minor gunshot wounds after attending a birthday party on Saturday where four people, including three children, were killed.
San Joaquin County Sheriff’s spokeswoman Heather Brent said both men had been present at the party but did not immediately report their injuries. “It’s concerning. Why did they not talk to authorities the same night?,” Brent said. She also urged witnesses to help investigators: “Please talk to investigators. There were 100 to 150 people at the party. The information that we’re getting is not enough. We need more information.”
The shooting occurred during a crowded celebration for a 2-year-old’s birthday attended by over 100 people. Three children—ages 8, 9, and 14—were killed inside the banquet hall.
Two of the children have been identified as Maya Lupian, an 8-year-old student in the Stockton Unified School District, and Amari Peterson, a 14-year-old from Modesto. Maya was approaching her ninth birthday at the time of her death.
“She deserved a childhood full of laughter, school days, karate, family time, and dreams … not this,” wrote Yesenia Lupian, Maya’s older sister.
Amari Peterson was described by his father Patrick Peterson as well-liked and talented in sports such as football, basketball, and track and field. “My son was really loved. He was a popular kid. There were so many kids who admired him, who wanted to be like him,” he said. “He listened to me and his mom. His job was to be a good boy, get good grades. He had this wonderful smile that would light the sky,” Peterson added.
Carl Bryant, president of Central Valley Roadrunners in Modesto and Amari’s coach, commented on the loss: “I have been coaching kids for 45 years. This is one of the most difficult things I’ve had to deal with,” Bryant told The Bee on Monday. “Amari was just a good kid. Wherever he went, he touched people’s lives. He had that personality people gravitated to. He was that shining light.”
A third victim identified by family members is Susano Archuleta, age 21. According to his brother Emmanuel Lopez in an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Archuleta died at the scene after being shot in the neck; Lopez’s own daughter survived after being shot in the head.
The shooters remain unidentified and at large. Authorities are offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to arrests.
People can submit photos or video related to the attack via fbi.gov/stocktonshooting or call tips into the San Joaquin Sheriff’s Office at 209-946-0600.
