STOCKTON, Calif. — The family of the victim who was killed at a bank near the Sherwood Mall Thursday held a vigil to mourn him Friday night.
Family members identified the victim as 23-year-old Tyrique Jamal Harris.
"My son was a good kid. He graduated with honors,” Harris' mother, Bernique Mimmitt said. “He had four scholarships to go to college, he was a good, fun-loving kid that would help anybody."
Friends and family gathered to mourn together where Harris was killed outside of the Golden 1 Credit Union along Telegraph Avenue.
"As a family, we're devastated and most of all we're freaking angry. We're so angry because it was senseless,” said Mimmitt. "I'm begging and pleading with the public and the young man, whoever you are, you need to turn yourself in because you know what you did was wrong and you need to pay the price."
Stockton Mayor Kevin Lincoln says while the recent string of incidents involving gun violence is upsetting, it's a problem that's not exclusive to Stockton.
"We have a plan, we're moving forward, we're taking these matters very seriously,” said Lincoln. "We're ramping up our visibility with the Stockton Police Department and we're gonna continue our efforts to keep every one of you safe."
There have been 33 homicides in the city of Stockton so far this year. If you have any information about these shootings, call Stockton police or crime stoppers.
STOCKTON CRIME IN CONTEXT
The increase in homicide cases in Stockton during the early months of 2022 came on the heels of a decline in 2021, where police reported fewer homicides ending the year with a total of 38 cases.
While that’s not the lowest number the department has dealt with in the past 12 years, it is below the annual average of 40 homicide cases per year since 1995.
In response to the rise in homicides, community groups held prayer vigils and outreach events meant to unite Stockton residents against violence.
Activists have called on the community to show up to such events and work with local organizations such as Advance Peace, Faith in the Valley, Lighthouse of the Valley and the Office of Violence Prevention to discourage crime and help impacted communities heal.
Click here for a map of crime statistics.
In an interview with ABC10 in March, Stockton City Manager Harry Black said the Stockton Police Department is trying to prevent more deaths by working more on intelligence gathering and cooperating with federal partners such as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Marshall's Service.
The city is also working to improve its crime prevention, intervention and fighting strategy, Black said. Representatives with the city's Office of Violence Prevention are working to be more present in communities impacted by crime. The office's 'peacekeepers program' places mediators and mentors in high crime areas.
Watch the full interview: Stockton City Manager Harry Black talks recent crime in the city | Extended Interview
