STOCKTON, Calif. — Officials with the Stockton Police Department are investigating after a 57-year-old man was allegedly shot and killed near Stockton's downtown district Sunday morning.
At 4:15 a.m. Sunday, officers said they responded to the 600 block of Oak Street after reports came in that a person had been shot.
At the scene, police said they found a 57-year-old man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was reportedly pronounced dead at the scene.
Officials have not released infomation on a suspect or a move in the homicide but asked witnesses and those with information to come forward.
Those with information are asked to call investigators at 209-937-8377 or Stockton Crime Stoppers at 209-946-0600.
Crime Stoppers is offering anonymity and a cash reward of up to $10,000 for information that leads to an arrest in the deadly shooting.
The Sunday morning homicide marked the second deadly shooting investigated by Stockton Police officers over the weekend and the 37th homicide case in the city so far in 2022.
Hours before the deadly shooting, police in Stockton also responded to an unrelated shooting that left three injured at a Sikh temple.
STOCKTON CRIME IN CONTEXT
An 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
Watch More Stockton News from ABC10: Teen hurt after getting shot in crossfire, Stockton Police say
