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STOCKTON, California — An 18-year-old teenager has become the 15th homicide this year in the city of Stockton.
The latest death came just after midnight in the 8100 block of West Lane off Knickerbocker Drive in North Stockton. Four people were shot.
However, after the family transported the 18-year-old in their own car, he died over a mile away from the initial scene in the intersection of West Lane and March Lane.
Three other men, ages 28, 29 and 46, survived the shooting with non-life threatening injuries. They were taken to area hospitals.
One neighbor, who lives nearby did not want to be identified, but heard the shooting.
"Sounded like a machine gun firing off and then it quit," the neighbor said.
The scene remained active throughout the day as dozens of green, fluorescent evidence markers could be seen on grass next to an apartment complex, as well as on a long, wide stretch of pavement next to businesses that were closed for the day.
Juan Barerra lives near the scene of the shooting and says he's heard shots fired close by before. "Two days ago, I heard like five or six shots on the corner," Barerra said. Despite this latest shooting, the city says its Office of Violence Prevention is doing all it can to stop the shootings from happening. "For the month of March, we have scaled up significantly," said Stockton City Manager Harry Black. Black says the city is using its prevention and intervention personnel in areas where the violence is taking place.
He says a collaboration with community groups, families and victims, as well as police enforcement, have helped to ease the spike in homicides from February.
But he said help will ratchet up when needed. "They're out there in these neighborhoods. They're working with these families in every way possible in terms of making certain that they are ok that they have what they need," Black said.
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In this latest shooting, there is no known motive or suspects. Coincidentally, the Office of Violence Prevention is set to give their annual report before the city council Tuesday night.
Of note, the report says the average demographic is an 18- to 35-year-old high school drop out.
Last year, the Office of Violence Prevention was able to mediate 24 conflicts.
The program has a jail recidivism rate of less that 15% with 17 of their 118 clients re-arrested in 2021.
Stockton's history of gang violence
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