Members of the Delta College community are offering words of support and resources amidst mourning following a shooting that injured 10 and killed four, including three children.
President Dr. Lisa Aguilera Lawrenson and the Delta College Board of Trustees released a statement Nov. 30 expressing sorrow at the Nov. 29 shooting.
“Gun violence is tragic wherever it happens, but when a mass shooting takes place close to home, it shakes us in a very personal way,” read the statement released on several of Delta Colleges’ social media accounts and sent directly to student emails.
The message shared the hope that the community would rally in support of those affected by the shooting.
“We have no doubt that this community will rally around affected families and provide the support and care that they need in the days, weeks, months, and years to come,” read the statement
Additionally, the email offered resources to students who may have been affected by the tragedy and encouraged them to share the resources with others.
“Drop-in personal counseling will be available at the Delta Connect Center and at the Counseling Office on the second floor of the DeRicco Building,” read the email, which included links to the campus Uwill page, an online mental health resource service provided for free to students.
Director of Marketing and Communications Alex Breitler noted the importance of offering resources in times like this.
“We wanted to make sure students had someone they could speak with if they need any additional support in the wake of what happened on Saturday,” said Breitler.. “I think the entire community is impacted by such an awful tragedy. Even if we don’t personally know someone who was involved, it’s devastating to know that this happened in our city.”
Breitler also mentioned seeing students who spoke about being unable to focus following the shooting in the Delta College Facebook group.
“I noticed that students in the Delta College Facebook group [Sunday] were commenting about the situation and talking about how it was hard to focus on school with everything that’s going on, so clearly this is affecting many of us, and understandably so,” said Breitler.
The Delta Police Department was also involved in the response to the shooting, assisting in communication and coordination.
“The reason for this was that we only had one sworn officer on duty and there was a volleyball tournament,” said Tammie Murrell, acting district chief of police, in an email to the Delta Collegian. “We needed coverage on our campus.”
Delta Police became involved after the sheriff’s department sent out a request for mutual aid. After receiving the request, Murrell passed it on to Delta College and assisted as the department kept students informed and equipped with resources to handle the event.
“In regional incidents like this, our role is to maintain campus security while supporting broader law enforcement efforts through coordination and communication. Your safety is always our top priority.”
Murrell also acknowledged the students how students might feel in the wake of this incident, and affirmed that Delta Police was committed to keeping the community safe.
“We understand that events like this can cause concern and anxiety,” said Murrel. “Please know that Delta College Police is committed to transparency, preparedness, and collaboration with our law enforcement partners. Together, we strive to keep our campus and community safe.”
A $25,000 reward for any information regarding the shooting is currently being offered by Stockton Crime Stoppers, with Mayor Christina Fugazi and Councilwoman Mariela Ponce contributing $10,000 and $5,000 respectively. Anyone with information is asked to contact the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office at (209–) 468-4400. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Stockton Crime Stoppers at (209–) 946-0600.
The FBI is also offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the identification and arrest of those responsible. Tips can be submitted to the FBI at https://tips.fbi.gov/digitalmedia/651d7e15e5fc68f
