Stockton-area advocates on behalf of grieving families demanded a radical shift in community investment Thursday, urging institutional accountability — not just policing — as the only meaningful way to prevent another tragedy like the Nov. 29 mass shooting that claimed four lives. Three of the victims were children.
Representatives of the San Joaquin County Youth Justice Coalition held a press conference at The Open Door House Of Prayer to support the grieving families and to call for sustained community investment, culturally competent services and accountability from institutions charged with protecting young people.
“This coalition stands together to say that all youth are sacred, no matter where you come from,” said Pastor Trena Turner of Victory In Praise Church, a member of the church’s social justice ministry. “Every person deserves safety. They deserve dignity. Every person deserves respect.”
Turner said the coalition — made up of community-based organizations, faith leaders and youth advocates rooted in Stockton — has committed to supporting families impacted by the shooting and ensuring victims remain centered as the community grieves.
“We are coming together to center all of the victims of this tragedy during a time of great need,” she said.
The shooting, which occurred during a 2-year-old child’s birthday celebration wounding 13 people, has shaken the Stockton community. Authorities have not announced any arrests, and the investigation remains ongoing.
While the search for the shooters continues, activists say the need for supporting the victims and the trauma experienced by the community should also be a priority. Pastor Henry D. Phillips of The Open Door House Of Prayer described the days following the shooting as a period of urgent response and long-term commitment.
“Our leadership and staff immediately mobilized to care for those most affected,” Phillips said. “From the moment the crisis unfolded, we have been walking alongside families — providing emergency counseling, food, emotional support and helping them navigate overwhelming systems.”
Phillips emphasized the need to reject harmful narratives about young people, noting that adolescent brain development continues into the mid-20s.
“Our young people deserve care, not condemnation,” he said. “They deserve understanding, not blame — and healing, not harm.”
Nikki Chan, executive director of Empowering Marginalized Asian Communities (EMAC), said the shooting underscored long-standing inequities that disproportionately impact Southeast Asian and other Asian Pacific Islander communities in Stockton.
“For far too long, many of our communities have been left out of conversations about public safety, justice and opportunity,” Chan said. “Violence does not happen in a vacuum. It is deeply connected to systemic issues — poverty, deportation, lack of access to resources.”
Chan called for deeper collaboration across communities, increased funding and investment in youth-centered solutions. She also shared the Filipino concept of isang — “when one falls, we all fall; when one rises, we all rise” — as a guiding principle for collective healing.
Bobby Bivens, president of the Stockton branch of the NAACP, placed the tragedy in a historical context, noting the organization’s presence in Stockton since 1931 and its long-standing efforts to combat violence.
“We have held forums with caskets laid out to get the attention of families and government officials,” Bivens said. “Yet here we are again, talking about children being murdered.”
Bivens called on elected officials, schools, faith institutions and families to take responsibility for protecting young people and ensuring access to culturally competent mental health services.
“If you don’t understand the community’s culture, how are you going to provide services?” he asked. “This is the urgency of now.”
Speakers repeatedly stressed that the tragedy should not define the worth of Stockton’s youth, urging residents to move beyond mourning toward sustained action.
“What took place in our community is heartbreaking,” Phillips said. “But it does not define our young people. They deserve every chance to recover, to grow and to rebuild their lives.”
“We invite the community to join us in the ongoing work of healing,” Turner said. “Not just today — but in all the days ahead.”
The San Joaquin County Youth Justice Coalition is a community-driven initiative dedicated to addressing systemic inequities and empowering youth and their families. Organizers said the coalition will continue providing support to affected families while advocating for long-term solutions to prevent future violence. The coalition consists of the following organizations: Amelia Ann Adams Whole Life Center, Be Smooth Inc., California Alliance for Youth and Community Justice, Central Valley Movement Builders, Children’s Home Of Stockton, Empowering Marginalized Asian Communities, Reinvent South Stockton Coalition, and Victory In Praise.