Crime
Four Dead, Including Three Children, and Eleven Injured in Targeted Mass Shooting at Stockton Birthday Celebration
A mass shooting at a private banquet hall in north Stockton on Saturday evening left four people dead—three of them children—and at least eleven others injured, according to the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office.
The incident occurred shortly before 6:00 p.m. in the 1900 block of Lucile Avenue, where approximately 100 to 150 people had gathered for a family celebration, identified by city officials as a child’s birthday party.
The venue, a recently opened event space known as Monkey Space, previously housed the Kudos Children’s Theatre.
Authorities reported that 15 individuals were struck by gunfire, with victims ranging in age from youth to adulthood.
The deceased victims have not been publicly identified; however, officials confirmed their ages as 8, 9, 14, and 21 years old.
Early investigative findings suggest the attack was targeted, though officials have not released details regarding motive or potential suspects.
Multiple unofficial law enforcement and community sources allege that Stockton-based rappers MBnel and Fly Boy Doughy may have been the intended targets, as the party was reportedly for one of their children. These claims remain unconfirmed by authorities.
Multiple 911 calls were received reporting gunfire near the intersection of Lucile Avenue and Thornton Road, just steps from a nearby Dairy Queen.
Deputies from the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office were first on the scene, as the location falls within an unincorporated jurisdictional area.
Responding law enforcement declared a mass casualty incident upon arrival. Victims were transported to multiple area hospitals; however, the number and identities of facilities receiving patients have not been released. At least one hospital increased security following the incident.
A spokesperson for Sutter Health confirmed that three adult patients treated at Memorial Medical Center in Modesto remained in stable condition as of Sunday.
The shooting has sparked widespread outrage and mourning throughout Stockton.
District Attorney Ron Freitas condemned the violence, stating:
“Violence of this nature has absolutely no place at any time — and children should not be harmed by gun and gang violence.”
Stockton Mayor Christina Fugazi characterized the attack as an act of terrorism:
“Gang violence exists in cities across the country, but this act was a pure act of terrorism. Our community is grieving an unimaginable loss.”
The Stockton Unified School District announced it will deploy mental health clinicians and counselors across all 55 school sites as officials prepare for the possibility that the child victims were district students.
No suspects have been formally named in connection with the shooting, and investigators have not confirmed whether the gunfire was carried out by a single shooter or multiple individuals.
However, hours after the incident, law enforcement detained multiple individuals during a separate police operation near Pixie Drive and Doray Court, where a white SUV with bullet damage was seized.
Five individuals—including a 16-year-old male—were arrested on suspicion of weapons, gang activity, and conspiracy charges. Officials emphasized that these arrests have not yet been confirmed as directly linked to the mass shooting.
Stockton Police Night Watch records list those arrested as:
- Issac Grosvenor, 27
- Destiny Willis, 32
- Kevin Le, 22
- Jovon Frank, 19
- Unidentified Male, 16
Ballistics testing is underway to determine whether firearms seized during the arrests are connected to the Lucile Avenue shooting.
Authorities are urging anyone with video evidence, eyewitness accounts, or information related to the shooting to contact:
- San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office (non-emergency line): (209) 468-4400
- Stockton Crime Stoppers: (209) 946-0600
A reward for information leading to arrests and conviction has reached $25,000, funded by Crime Stoppers, Mayor Fugazi, and Councilwoman Mariela Ponce.
Sheriff’s spokesperson Heather Brent said investigators are actively pursuing leads:
“We are not releasing details that may compromise this investigation. Our detectives are working thoroughly and diligently to identify those responsible.”
Orlando, Fla. — Family and friends of 33-year-old Julien Emmanuel Cruz are seeking answers and accountability following his fatal shooting outside a popular LGBTQ+ nightclub early Sunday morning.
According to the Orlando Police Department, officers responded at approximately 2:31 a.m. on February 22, 2026, to the 1900 block of North Orange Avenue, just north of Lake Ivanhoe, in reference to a reported shooting.
Upon arrival, officers located Cruz suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. Authorities confirmed Cruz was born May 18, 1992.
Detectives determined that prior to the shooting, Cruz and the suspect were involved in a verbal and physical altercation on the sidewalk outside the nightclub district. Investigators say that during the dispute, the suspect retrieved a firearm from his vehicle and shot Cruz.
The suspect fled the scene in a vehicle, which patrol officers later located in the 200 block of East New Hampshire Avenue, approximately two blocks from where the shooting occurred.
Police subsequently arrested 37-year-old Jean Gabriel Borja Gil De La Madr (DOB: October 29, 1988). He has been charged with Second Degree Murder with a Firearm. Authorities confirmed this case marks the third homicide in Orlando in 2026.
Cruz’s father, Anthony Cruz, said his son and his partner had been at Savoy Orlando enjoying the evening before the violence unfolded.
According to the family, as the couple exited the club after closing time, a vehicle sped past them. Cruz’s partner allegedly yelled toward the occupants of the vehicle, prompting the car to stop. A physical altercation then reportedly began between Cruz’s partner and one of the individuals from the vehicle.
“When they fought, my son saw that was happening. My son went to intervene, and when he intervened, another guy got out of the car, and he got shot,” Anthony Cruz said. “My son didn’t deserve what happened. All I have left is a shirt — a shirt with a bullet hole.”
While police have charged Borja Gil De La Madr, Cruz’s family maintains that another individual may have been directly responsible for pulling the trigger. Authorities have not publicly confirmed whether additional suspects are being sought.
A small memorial has formed across from the nightclub, where members of the community have gathered to honor Cruz’s memory.
Joshua Cooper, owner of Savoy Orlando, said the tragedy has deeply impacted the LGBTQ+ community, even though the shooting occurred off the club’s property.
“I didn’t know the victim, but from everything I’ve been told, I wish I had,” Cooper said. “He seemed like a great kid. Seeing a family that is so heartbroken and so supportive of this community says so much.”
The Orlando Police Department has not released additional information regarding potential additional suspects. Detectives continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the altercation and shooting.
Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact the Orlando Police Department or Crimeline.
The investigation remains active.