A grim scene unfolded in Stockton, California, following a mass shooting that claimed the lives of three children and a 21-year-old. Fragments of a birthday celebration—a pink toy unicorn splattered with blood, melted ice cream, and numerous bullet holes—were left behind.
These haunting images, shared with the public, were captured at a small business venue known as Monkey Space. Just before the chaos erupted, a toddler was celebrating his second birthday there.
“I saw a woman rush out of her car screaming, ‘My baby! My baby!'” local resident Brent Terrill recounted. It was a moment filled with panic and fear.
The plastic unicorn, a party reminder, lay near a pool of blood of one of the victims, a harrowing sight. In addition to that, walls and doors of the venue were marked with bullet holes, evidence of the violence that left 11 others injured, including more children.
Among the remnants was a now-melted ice cream cup that read, “Naraya’s 2nd Birthday,” an unfortunate marker of the shattered celebration.
The rapper targeted in the shooting, known as MBnel, and his wife both suffered injuries during the incident. They are currently in hiding, feeling unsafe, as his father shared with the media.
Junior Dongon, MBnel’s father, explained that his son had just come to deliver a present for a friend’s child. “He got shot, but he’s okay. He told me to keep it quiet,” he said, adding that his daughter-in-law was also hurt. It’s understandable to worry in such precarious times.
Around the community, Terrill described the scene as chaotic when the shooting began. “I heard 20 to 30 shots in quick succession—just booming sounds,” he recollected.
Nearby resident Brandon Hernandez, who lives across from the scene, witnessed the panic. “People were running towards my house, screaming,” he recalled, trying to process the upheaval.
In the wake of the tragedy, local residents are holding vigils, mourning the loss and reflecting on the violence that plagues their community. Yet police are still on the lookout for the shooter, with no arrests reported as of yet. As Terrill pointed out, this kind of violence isn’t new to Stockton.
The city faced a high homicide rate, ranking second in California in 2024 after Oakland. Last year alone, there were 51 homicides, leaving a rate of 15.7 per 100,000 residents. So far this year, 34 homicides have been reported, and last night’s incident falls just outside city limits.
Simlin Law Group’s 2024 analysis identified San Joaquin County as the most dangerous in California, with an alarming statistic of 72 violent crimes per 1,000 residents—almost double the state average.
