STOCKTON, Calif. — A Stockton family is reeling after a Tuesday night shooting left a teenager dead in the city's Weston Ranch neighborhood.
Heartbroken family members identified the homicide victim in a statement to ABC10 as 18-year-old Aizik Provencio.
"Aizik Anthony Provencio was an amazing person. He was the first grandkid of our family. He was so adventurous and loving," said Aizik's family in a statement. "Aizik was a huge part of our family. Our lives will never be the same without him."
Provencio was shot and killed during an attempted carjacking on Nisperos Street in Stockton Tuesday night, according to police. A 17-year-old has been arrested in connection to the deadly shooting, the Stockton Police Department said Thursday.
The shooting marked the city's 29th homicide so far in 2022.
Those who knew Provencio described the teen as hardworking, adding that he enjoyed fishing and was an athlete at Stockton's Edison High School, where he graduated in 2021.
"Aizik will always be in our hearts and may he Rest In Peace until we meet again," the family said in a statement. "We thank you all for your thoughts and prayers through this difficult time for us."
Family members say they are devastated and will miss the teen's "contagious laugh and beautiful smile." Provencio's family is raising funds on Venmo to help pay for funeral expenses.
"This handsome guy is our first grandson and the most beautiful. His smile was so big and wide he lit up the room," said Cecelia Hernandez, Provencio's grandmother. "From a baby, he loved his Nana's homemade tortillas, I couldn't make them fast enough. He always loved being with his Tata, and fishing was a skill he mastered with him. My Mijo was so talented in anything he set his mind on."
The Stockton Police Department is asking those with information on the deadly shooting to contact investigators at 209-937-8323.
Watch More Stockton News from ABC10: Stockton man burned in tent as city faces 28th homicide of 2022
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
