Where the Stockton mass shooting investigation stands 6 months later

Added: 2026-05-30

[00:00:00]A community desperate for closure as we mark now 6 months since the deadly mass shooting at a child's birthday party in Stockton. Four people were killed, three of them just children. And those victims who had gathered in celebration are more than just a statistic. First, 21-year-old Susano Archuleta, described by his family as a good kid who was there for a friend's daughter's birthday. 14-year-old Amari Peterson, who was a star athlete who went to Prescott Junior High School in Modesto.

[00:00:28]He was so fast on the football field, his nickname was Ferrari Mari. Next, we have 8-year-old Maya Lupian. She was an outgoing third-grader at Aspire Apex Academy in Stockton and was a purple belt in karate. Finally, 8-year-old Journey Rose. She was a third-grader at Commodore Stockton Skills School who loved to learn and dreamed of becoming a doctor like her big sister. Today, that scene of the deadly shooting is quiet.

[00:00:55]Bullet holes that marked the door of the building where this happened are gone, yet the pain remains. The victims' families still don't have answers because now 6 months later, there are no arrest and not even a suspect identified. Our Madison Kivi is field anchoring our special coverage tonight.

[00:01:12]She joins us live now from the Sheriff's Office in Madison. These families are now marking another milestone without their loved ones and you were one of the first reporters there on that scene.

[00:01:21]Take us back to that night.

[00:01:24]>> Ashley, it was chaotic. Multiple blocks were shut down. All I saw was flashing emergency lights. At the time, we didn't have details. All we knew was that there was a family party and children were there. And that was 6 months ago, November 29th. This was a holiday weekend, just after Thanksgiving. The San Joaquin County Sheriff warned early on it could be weeks or months before any suspects were identified. And at this point, the only thing authorities will say about the suspects is that they were dressed in all black. Their faces were covered. The Sheriff still not saying if the shooting was gang-related, but did say there were known gang members at this 2-year-old's birthday party, but hasn't linked that to a motive. The only leads officially released to the public, surveillance images of two vehicles released back in January with a call for information on the cars or the suspects. It worked because in February the sheriff's office announced the cars used in the mass shooting were found and processed as evidence, including DNA collection. That brings us to where the investigation stands today, still active, but the sheriff's office says they can't comment right now. A spokesperson telling me they don't want to hinder the process as calls for answers grow louder. We're asking why cases like this often move slower than the public expects.

[00:02:41]A child's birthday party becomes the unthinkable, a mass shooting with kids caught in the crossfire.

[00:02:48]The photos taken inside the next day so graphic, we can't show all of them. More than 50 casings found at this Stockton banquet hall fired from at least five different weapons, but months later the gunmen still on the run.

[00:03:02]>> We don't have a lot more to give the public at this time. It's moving forward. It's It's It's going great. We have a lot of good information that we're following up on and it just takes a lot of time to go through all the data and everything that we have.

[00:03:14]>> That was at the 100-day mark. No arrests and still few public details.

[00:03:20]>> It's moving forward. It's doing very very well. We [music] still just have a couple months of electronic type device information, videos, phones, all those type of things to go through.

[00:03:31]>> In April, a similar update posted online. The San Joaquin County Sheriff addressed criticism.

[00:03:37]>> We should have results here in just a couple months. So, don't listen to those folks online who are the naysayers or anything like this. This is going exactly the way we wanted it to and we're going to have a great result.

[00:03:47]>> The question growing louder, what's taking so long?

[00:03:51]>> So, it's not just a of a good faith belief that this person or these persons are responsible for the commission of this crime. It's a completely different legal standard and any information leaked or otherwise recklessly shared prematurely could really truly put somebody on notice.

[00:04:08]>> Former Sacramento County Sheriff John McGinness spent his career working on cases like this. Although he doesn't have details about this one in Stockton, he has insights on the gap between what people want right now, answers, and what detectives need to build a case that can hold up in court, proof.

[00:04:28]>> This had all of the indicia of a case that would be very difficult to solve.

[00:04:32]And so, they're probably getting information, I would suspect, that has to be verified through people that are willing to come forward and testify in court.

[00:04:40]>> Even video evidence, he says, doesn't hold up on its own in court.

[00:04:45]>> I would not be surprised to find out that there is clear electronic evidence of what took place and maybe identify the person responsible.

[00:04:52]>> He says cases like this often come down to patience and like a puzzle, piece by piece, building something a jury can actually trust.

[00:05:02]>> I think that there's a high degree of probability, I hope, that it can be solved, but I understand the challenges against which they're working in this particular case.

[00:05:12]>> Now, that former sheriff says that he has full faith in the team here in San Joaquin County working on the case just inside the building here at the sheriff's office. And he says after 6 months with no arrests, he's not concerned. Now, San Joaquin County Sheriff Patrick Withrow was not available for an interview this week. We also tried to speak with Stockton Mayor Christina Fugazi. Instead, her staff telling us that she was not available for an interview, but gave us a statement that reads in part, quote, "As a resident and a teacher of generations of Stockton youth that shared the community's grief and outrage about the events on the evening of November 29th.

[00:05:48]I too await updates from law enforcement on justice being served to those individuals that would bring violence to our city. She also says the sheriff, DA, and police chief are working with state and federal agencies on this.

[00:06:00]I want to show you those four victims again though because that's what this is all about, solving their murders. You see them on your screen here from left to right, they're 21-year-old Susano Archuleta, 14-year-old Amari Peterson, and 8-year-olds Maya Cupien, and Journey Rose. Their families not only left without them now, but so far without justice.

[00:06:22]We've been keeping in touch with the victim families. One of those, the Peterson family. Amari Peterson attended Prescott Junior High. Nina Burns joins me here live. Nina, you were invited by the Peterson family this week to attend a very special event.

[00:06:36]>> It really was, Madison. And now this week was the Prescott Junior High's graduation. Something Amari should have walked with with his friends, but the school worked with his family to honor him at this event.

[00:06:47]>> These hollowed halls, but the experience and memories that we made along the way will never be forgotten.

[00:06:53]>> The end of a chapter for eighth grade students at Prescott Junior High.

[00:06:58]But inside the crowd of graduates, [music] blue bracelets serve as a reminder of the classmate who should be walking beside them.

[00:07:05]14-year-old Amari Peterson was killed in the mass shooting at a Stockton birthday party back in November.

[00:07:11]>> I don't even I don't know how I'm standing here right now.

[00:07:16]>> Six months later, >> Amari Peterson.

[00:07:19]>> his father, Patrick Peterson, accepting his son's diploma.

[00:07:24]>> [cheering and applause] >> My emotions inside is like, you know, they're running rapid. I'm angry. I'm mad. I'm But then I'm happy too because the the school is recognizing my son.

[00:07:35]>> The school unveiling a new award in Amari's name.

[00:07:39]>> That goes to a student athlete that best resembles Amari's qualities.

[00:07:44]>> Honoring character, leadership, and enthusiasm.

[00:07:50]As classmates prepare for high school, Amari's father says his family is still waiting for answers.

[00:07:56]>> Fact with that that that still that they still didn't find out who did this is just it kind of has me, you know, mind-boggled.

[00:08:05]>> We may all come from different places, but we are all united by the fact that we all love runners.

[00:08:13]>> [snorts] >> You know, you lose your best friend.

[00:08:20]You know, and it's it's just like something that you can never get over, so my life, you know, it's pretty set, you know, the tone is set, so I got to stay strong and just hope my son is is watching over me and my family while we're down here.

[00:08:38]>> Now, Amari's father tells us that Amari Peterson award will be presented for at least the next 30 years to a student athlete that reminds them of Amari.