South Stockton was shaken by its second homicide this month following the tragic shooting of a 24-year-old man on Saturday. The incident occurred around 10 a.m. near West Sixth and South Harrison streets, a neighborhood that has seen a distressing rise in violence over the past year.
Stockton Police Department officers, responding to a 911 call reporting a possible shooting, discovered the young man with a fatal gunshot wound. Despite the swift arrival of paramedics, he was declared dead at the scene. The San Joaquin County Medical Examiner's Office has yet to release the victim's name, pending notification of his family.
Homicide detectives and crime scene investigators swiftly converged on the site, which included the Church of the Living God. Officer David Scott did not specify the church's involvement but indicated that the cordoned area had significant evidentiary value. A white Hyundai Elantra with open doors and a single evidence marker nearby was a focal point of the investigation.
This incident is part of a concerning pattern of violence targeting young people in the neighborhood around Airport Way and Eighth Street. This area, less than half a square mile in size, has witnessed seven fatal shootings of individuals aged 17 to 40 since March 2023. The motivations behind this high homicide rate remain unclear, with police providing limited details.
This latest homicide comes just three weeks after the death of 20-year-old Ralph White in a triple shooting in southeast Stockton, which also left a 17-year-old and a 19-year-old with nonfatal injuries. As the community grapples with this string of violence, detectives continue to investigate and seek leads in both cases.
The Stockton Police Department urges anyone with information to come forward and contact them at (209) 937-8377 or submit an anonymous tip through stocktoncrimestoppers.org. This ongoing investigation highlights the urgent need for community cooperation and support in addressing and preventing such tragedies in Stockton.
From Record reporter Hannah Workman.
