The bright, spring afternoon in Stockton, California, was supposed to be defined by the sounds of a child’s laughter, the crinkle of wrapping paper, and the sweet smell of birthday cake. Instead, a family celebration on Saturday was shattered by a hail of gunfire that transformed a neighborhood sanctuary into a horrific crime scene. What began as a milestone celebration quickly descended into a desperate struggle for survival, leaving at least four people dead and ten others fighting for their lives in local trauma centers. Witnesses described a scene of surreal terror. Neighbors, initially lulled by the festive atmosphere, at...
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