Stockton leaders mourn slain kids, seek justice, unity

Though the city of Stockton has battled gangs and worked to quell violence in its streets before, a brazen and horrifying shooting at a toddler's birthday party over the weekend that left four people dead, including three children, has left city leaders reeling like never before, officials say.

- BY SALVADOR HERNANDEZ

PAUL KURODA For The Times THE SHOOTING at a birthday party at a banquet hall in Stockton left three children and an adult dead.

"We have gang shootings and homicides in our city, but this hits differently," City Councilmember Michele Padilla said. "This is something no one will forget." At least one gunman opened fire at the Saturday birthday party, wounding 11 people and killing three children who were 8, 9 and 14 years old. A 21-year-old was also killed.

The 8-year-old was identified by her family in a GoFundme page as Maya Lupian, a third-grader at Aspire Stockton.

Apex Academy in "She deserved a childhood full of laughter, school days, karate, family time and dreams... not this," read the page. "We would have been celebrating her 9th birthday in just 2 weeks."

Fourteen-year-old Amari Peterson was also identified by his family in a GoFundMe page, on which he was described as a "bright, loved, and promising young soul."

"Amari was a football player, a basketball player, a brother, son, and cousin," the page read. "He was making plans and looking into colleges." On Tuesday, rapper Burna Boy announced he would be covering the funeral costs for all four victims.

"When I heard about the children murdered in Stockton, my heart broke," the artist said in a statement.

Burna Boy said he reached out to Vice Mayor Jason Lee to see how he could support the community.

"I wanted to do whatever I could do to support these parents," he said.