Nearly three weeks after a mass shooting at a 2-year-old’s birthday party in Stockton, community groups are asking for more support and compassion for victims still coping with the city’s lingering trauma.
Faith and nonprofit leaders on Thursday, Dec. 18, gathered at The Open Door House of Prayer to urge city officials to increase support for youth programs and neighborhood initiatives, citing the long-term effects of neglect and underinvestment.
Peter Elias, youth project coordinator with Reinvent South Stockton Coalition, said he grew up in Stockton, a city shaped by disinvestment, overpolicing and neglect — but also by people who stepped up when systems failed…