Stockton community members call for action at first city council meeting after mass shooting
Stockton residents gathered at the city council meeting Tuesday to express their grief and demand action following a mass shooting that left four dead and 13 injured, while the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office continues to search for the gunmen responsible.The meeting began with a prayer for unity in chambers that are no stranger to conflict."Father, we pray for unity and we pray for peace," a pastor said. "Knit us all together with the cords of love that can never be broken."Community members urged council members to set aside their differences as Stockton grapples with the tragedy and remembers the young lives lost. RELATED | What we know about the victims of the Stockton mass shooting"I would like to put an end to the name-calling and the fighting that has not helped any of our citizens and realize that children in our city are dying," one person said.Dozens lined up to speak, offering suggestions to city leaders. "The fear, anger, and frustration we are all feeling right now, let's act on it," one speaker said.Another emphasized, "We cannot lead this into vague or reactive policy making.”"What you need to be doing is looking at the data. Focused deterrents work,” another resident said. Families who have lost loved ones to violence shared their pain, which more families are now feeling."No family deserves to suffer the devastating consequences of our ongoing gun violence epidemic that my family and now the families of 17 more of our community members know all too well," one person said. A mother expressed her anger, saying, "I'm angry for all the parents who are losing their babies while we sit here and fight and look silly."With the shooters still unaccounted for, emotions continue to run high across the city. "The question is who sent the shooter? Who sent the shooter?" one woman asked, passionately calling for justice for the victims. "You will bring truth and order to the city of Stockton. You will rise up and you will tell the truth."Despite the emotional public comments, the city council proceeded with its work. The mayor acknowledged the community's pain but emphasized that it cannot be used to shield or hide from their responsibilities.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
