3 killed in multiple shootings across Stockton, investigations underway
STOCKTON - Three people have died as detectives are investigating multiple shootings that happened in Stockton on Saturday.
The first shooting was in the Lakeview neighborhood. Police said the second appeared to be between multiple groups. Then police said a man was found dead in a vehicle with a gunshot wound.
Police said they don't believe the homicides are connected.
Lakeview neighborhood shooting
The first shooting happened early Saturday morning when police said they found a man in his 20s dead inside a vehicle in the area of Wood Duck Circle and Quail Lake Drive.
The initial report, received at about 12:45 a.m., was about a crash. Officers then found the driver dead with a gunshot wound. This shooting remains under investigation.
Shooting and pursuit investigation
Then later in the day, two men were taken to the hospital with gunshot wounds as police said they were investigating if a shooting and pursuit in Stockton were related.
The Stockton Police Department learned multiple shots were fired around 2:37 p.m. on the 800 block of Astor Drive. At the scene, police said a 53-year-old man was found shot and was taken to the hospital and with what appeared to be a non-life-threatening injury.
Police believe multiple groups exchanged gunfire at the scene.
Then deputies with the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office told police they possibly located an involved vehicle near West Lane and Alpine Avenue and a pursuit ensued.
The pursuit ended near California Street and Harding Way where the driver and multiple passengers were detained.
Police said one of the passengers, an 18-year-old now identified by the San Joaquin County coroner as Stockton resident David Perez, was found with a gunshot wound and was taken to the hospital where he died.
Two other women, both 19 years old, self-transported to the hospital where one is in critical condition with a gunshot wound. The other woman has a non-life-threatening injury.
South Stockton shooting
Around 3:15 p.m., police responded to the area of E Jackson Street and S Wilson Way, near The Salvation Army Thrift Store, for a welfare check on a man slumped over inside a vehicle.
At the scene, they found a man who appeared to be in his 30s with a gunshot wound. He died at the scene.
He has been identified by the San Joaquin County coroner as 36-year-old Stockton resident Brady Thornton.
"The last 24 hours, we've had three homicides and I think this is a test to our community. We need to come together and we need some answers and the way we can get the community's help and assist our detectives to get these answers for these families, a great way is to utilize Stockton crime stoppers," said Stockton Police Department's Public Information Office David Scott.
Homicide detectives responded to all three scenes to investigate.