The parents of Amari Peterson—Kimberly Pangnanouvong, center, and Patrick Peterson, right—attend a news conference at the State Capitol on Jan. 13 to ask legislators for increased assistance for victims of violent crime. Their 14-year-old son was shot and killed at a birthday party in Stockton on Nov. 29, 2025. At left is Berry Accius, founder of Voice of the Youth. CBM photo by Antonio Ray Harvey.
Survivors of violence, community activists, and lawmakers from across California joined forces at a press conference at the State Capitol on Jan. 13.
At the event, participants from Stockton, the Bay Area, Sacramento, Los Angeles, San Diego, and parts of the Central Valley called on the Legislature to prioritize investments in victim support, prevention programs, and harm reduction initiatives.
Tinisch Hollins, a prominent advocate for victims of violence in California who serves as executive director of Californians for Safety and Justice (CSJ) and state director for Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice, emphasized the critical need for resources to support survivors.
“We are calling on the state to prioritize three investments,” said Hollins, who helped organize the event. “Fund flexible cash assistance for survivors, fund trauma recovery centers, and we are calling on the state to fund free mental health services for children and youth who experience gun violence.”
Stockton has faced a period of heightened gun violence intertwined with gang activity. Tensions escalated further following a mass shooting at a children’s birthday party at an unlicensed banquet hall on Nov. 29, 2025.
That shooting left four people dead — including three children — and 13 others injured. The San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office has not made any arrests and is actively seeking information about two suspect vehicles.
Families of the victims, including Patrick Peterson, father of 14-year-old Amari Peterson, attended the State Capitol news conference. Community leaders and advocates, such as the Rev. William T. DeArmond Jr. and State Sen. Jerry McNerney (D-Pleasanton), were also present in support.
The shooting claimed the lives of Susano Archuleta, 21; Maya Lupian, 8; and Journey Rose Reotutar Guerrero, 8. Archuleta, the oldest victim, was “shielding” his girlfriend and children from gunfire, McNerney said.
“I believe that California should invest more in victim prevention so others won’t be affected by these kinds of events,” McNerney said.
Amari Peterson, an honor roll student with a 3.8 GPA and an eighth grader at Prescott Junior High in Modesto, actively participated in basketball and youth football, including the Central Valley Hornets, a Salida-based basketball league.
“My son is gone, he’s never coming back, and it’s for no apparent reason,” Peterson said. “I also think how my family has been treated during this process is totally unfair. My son was a wonderful kid who was loved by his community.”
Leia Schenk, an activist and social worker who supports victims of violent crimes — particularly women and marginalized communities — through her nonprofit organization EMPACT, assisted the families while they were in Sacramento.
EMPACT works to bridge gaps within system-impacted communities. Through advocacy, crisis response, and direct engagement, Schenk said the organization addresses the institutional, systemic, and structural root causes of social inequalities.
Since the shooting, Schenk said the Petersons have been traumatized not only by the loss of their son but also by the lack of resources to help stabilize their family.
“When a child is taken by violence, the trauma doesn’t end at the crime scene. Amari Peterson’s family is living through an unimaginable loss in the aftermath of the Stockton mass shooting,” Schenk said. “They lost their son and their sense of safety and are now displaced and struggling to stabilize their lives.”
Schenk added, “Without secure housing and access to trauma-informed therapeutic services, healing is impossible. This is where our systems, and our community, must respond.”
On Jan. 8, Gov. Gavin Newsom highlighted California’s overall crime reduction in his State of the State address. He announced the expansion of California Highway Patrol (CHP) crime suppression teams, specifically mentioning Stockton as a focus area, with officers deployed to target repeat offenders and seize illegal guns and drugs.
“We have seen positive results in other key regions of the state, and we look forward to enhancing that model in Stockton,” Newsom said, a month after the tragic birthday party shooting.
“In the wake of (Nov. 29’s) tragic mass shooting, our priority is the community’s safety,” said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee. “Increasing Crime Suppression Team personnel in the area allows us to maintain a strong, visible presence, support our local law enforcement partners, and send a clear message that violence will not be tolerated and that public safety remains our top responsibility.”
