Stockton, Calif. mass shooting takes the lives of four cherished community members

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A shooting at toddler’s birthday party in Stockton, California has left the community in shock.

The tragic incident on Nov. 29 happened when gunfire erupted inside a crowded banquet hall.

No arrests have been made. The investigation is still ongoing.

Details: Stockton, Calif. Shooting

Authorities said gunmen shot 17 people during the mass shooting, which may have involved multiple attackers. The gunfire killed four victims, including three children: 8‑year‑old Journey Rose, 8‑year‑old Maya Lupian, and 14-year-old Amari Peterson. The fourth victim was 21‑year‑old Susano Archuleta.

The incident has shaken the Stockton community, highlighting the devastating impact of gun violence at family gatherings.

Journey Rose Reotutar Guerrero, 8 years old

Credit: GoFundMe

Family members described Journey Rose Reotutar Guerrero, 8, as a “curious and gentle soul” in a GoFundMe tribute.

According to the post, Journey inspired her loved ones to always do their best. She was also known for offering a helping hand to anyone she met. Journey was a bright child who enjoyed trivia and solving math games. Her family said she was “growing up beautifully” with many dreams and goals ahead of her.

Journey also loved art, crafting, baking, and gymnastics, and she hoped to become a cheerleader when she entered high school, per local outlet KCRA.

Maya Lupian, 8 years old

Credit: GoFundMe

Eight‑year‑old Maya Lupian, a third grader at Aspire APEX Academy in Stockton, California, planned to celebrate her ninth birthday on December 13.

In a GoFundMe organized by family members, Maya was remembered as “the most outgoing 8‑year‑old you’d ever meet.” The tribute described her as “the light in everyone’s life, the sweetest soul” who deserved a childhood filled with laughter, karate lessons, school days, family time, and dreams.

Aspire Public Schools released a statement expressing heartbreak over the tragedy: “Loss is never easy, and it is especially painful when caused by violence. Our deepest condolences and love are with the families impacted.”

Amari Peterson, 14 years old

Credit: GoFundMe

Amari Peterson, a 14‑year‑old eighth grader from Stockton, California, died “in the wrong place at the wrong time,” his family said.

Athletic and full of promise, Amari played football and basketball and had begun planning for high school. His family organized a GoFundMe page that describes him as a “bright, loved, and promising young soul whose life was taken far too soon by a senseless act of violence.”

Susano Archuleta, 21 years old

Susano Archuleta’s father and stepmother told KCRA 3 they heard accounts from the party describing how Susano rushed to shield children and his girlfriend when gunfire erupted at the Stockton banquet hall. Witnesses said he helped get them into a closet to hide. His girlfriend suffered injuries in the shooting.

The family emphasized that they will not request donations for funeral costs and clarified that no fundraisers circulating under Archuleta’s name connect to them.