Officials call the shooting “unthinkable” and “unfathomable,” words that barely touch the reality of children caught in a storm of bullets at what should have been a night of joy.
Outside, Stockton’s leaders promise resources, justice, and truth, but their voices tremble with the same grief as the residents they address.
As the manhunt widens and sirens fade, one question hangs over Stockton: how do you ever celebrate again in a place that now remembers every candle as a target?
