Stockton community gathers with nonprofits to grieve tragedy, support each other
Community members gathered in Stockton Wednesday evening to support one another, loving their neighbor.
It was called Heal Stockton, where Stockton residents and nonprofits met to grieve, heal, and process the tragedy that struck families in the city they love.
"All these people are concerned and came out on their own dime, their own time," Armster Hampton, Community Partnership for Families Youth case manager, said. "And they love Stockton like I love Stockton. And I feel good about that."
A common theme throughout the night was hugs, healing, and having safe spaces to talk through the trauma.
"Heal Stockton is important because what we're trying to do is bring a level of peace and solace and hope to the community," Fortier-Brigham said. "And also discuss different ways to work through trauma and stress, especially in times like this, what we've just experienced in our city. People need to know that there's hope."
It was hosted by Victory in Praise Church at their community development center. Lillana Fortier-Brigham is a middle school teacher and the church's drama director.
"As long as humankind has been on this earth, there have always been horrible things that have happened," Fortier-Brigham said. "We have treated each other horribly and I believe that it takes a relationship with, the most powerful, all-powerful God for anybody to really be able to reconcile with such, it seems like it's too much for one person to handle, so, you need a church family to kind of surround you and events like this help us to see that there is help out there. There's help for you."
There were members of the medical community, suicide prevention, counseling groups, therapy dogs, Stockton's Office of Violence Prevention, and a Stockton youth sports program, Turlock Sports Park.
"I'm feeling devastated but just leaning on God in this time," David McCants, Turlock Sports Park site supervisor, said. "Just trying to make a positive impact to the youth and just continue to shine my light and bring positive energy to the community each and every day."
Cleveland Remembers volunteers were giving away gun locks and helping community members craft 'soul boxes', origami boxes made in memory of people killed by gun violence, including the three precious children killed in their city.
"I feel terrible," Sharon Jarvis, Cleveland School Remembers volunteer, said. "I made one of the soul boxes myself today, for one of the little 8-year-olds who was killed and when I looked at her name and the paper. Her sister was describing her, it just, well, I'm getting emotional now, I mean, I didn't even know this child but it's just horrendous that this still is happening in our society and it's still happening in California, even though we have some of the best gun violence prevention laws in the nation. We need our national laws to outlaw some of these things and Congress is doing nothing about it."
Jarvis said Cleveland School Remembers is pushing for a local law that would not allow police to buy guns from dealers who have a bad record of selling to people who shouldn't have guns.
Hampton, who works with 16 to 24-year-old men, helping them get important documents like their California ID card, birth certificate, and social security card, said he is saddened and disheartened. He is the father of six children and grandfather to 11 grandchildren.
"As a community, I'd like to think this is our George Floyd moment where we like put our foot down," Hampton said. "We've had enough. And I'd like to see some changes come from the tragedy. My heart goes out to the family of the kids and I just pray it never happens again."
With the information that it could take months for law enforcement to solve the shooting case, Stockton residents believe people know what happened and are encouraging their neighbors to say something.
"My thoughts on that are that people are not coming forward with information that some of them have," Jarvis said. "And I think that they are terrified that they will become a victim of gun violence if they speak up and give information to the sheriff. It's a very difficult position that law enforcement is in, trying to solve this and I hope with having the FBI involved and the Stockton Police Department helping the county sheriff that they'll be able to resolve this but it's obviously not going to happen quickly."
Hampton is also urging his community to be more vigilant and speak up.
"We shouldn't be scared to come out of our houses and have birthday parties for our children," Hampton said. "A few people shouldn't spoil that for us. I believe, as a community, we have to be more vigilant. If you know something, say something. Don't be afraid."
Fortier-Brigham said she believes that people know who was involved in the community. She is also calling on the local Stockton leaders to stop arguing and make changes for the young people in the community.
"What I think is true is that the courage that it takes for the people who know to step forward and to say what happened is what is needed. You can be a part of that justice," Fortier-Brigham said. "If you know what happened and you know where this came from and you know how it occurred, step forward. And speak the truth. And free yourself from holding that secret. And that way, all of those families' lives can be impacted for the better because they want to know what happened to their babies. They want to know what happened to the young people that just came for a birthday party."
The church also provides a prayer room, where people from the community can come and process their emotions of what took place in their city, to find healing and peace amidst the pain.
If you have any information regarding the mass shooting that occurred in the 1900 block of Lucille Avenue in the city of Stockton on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office is asking you to please share it with them.
- Send an anonymous tip by texting the word "SJSOTIP" then your message to 847411, or
- Submit a tip online by visiting our TIP411 page by clicking here, or
- Call us at (209) 468-5087, or
- Call Stockton Crime Stoppers at (209) 946-0600.