It was Saturday evening in Stockton, California, and Scott Linesburgh was on his way home when he noticed a police helicopter overhead. A lifelong journalist, he knew to follow it.
The scene he found, in a quiet strip of small shops in the suburban north end of town, was one that would soon be driving headlines nationwide: A mass shooting at a children’s party that has now left four people dead and more than a dozen wounded.
Stocktonia, the nonprofit newsroom Scott runs, had a duty to keep the community safe and informed. The entire team moved into action. So did the entire team at NEWSWELL.
The hours and days that followed saw a holiday weekend turn into an expanding tragedy. It also showed us the power of what happens when news organizations pull together.
Though authorities believed the attack was targeted, not random, they had no one in custody, and few answers to offer: How many weapons were used? How many people fired? What was the condition of the wounded? How could this happen, and where do we go from here?
Together, the team worked hard to answer those questions.
Stocktonia’s Cassie Dickman obtained an exclusive video from people close to the hosts of the party, revealing the awful scene inside the party after police and victims had departed. Aaron Leathley found the incredible stories of neighbors who ducked inside their doorways as bullets flew. Chris Woodyard’s reporting on the city’s homicide rate became the definitive source for national outlets. Scott went to news conferences himself to press officials for a better explanation of the weapons they had found at the scene. Shaylee Navarro stayed on top of rapidly changing details from the investigation. Vince Medina covered emotional vigils. Andrea Baltodano exposed the online vitriol that was tearing at the grieving community. Daniel Garza got news video and updates of all sorts in front of Stockton with speed balanced by sensitivity.
Annie Barker captured every moment, from tough questions for the sheriff’s office south of town to the most haunting image from the north side: a child’s unicorn toy on the ground outside the party venue, covered in blood.
But mass shootings overwhelm the resources of even big national newsrooms. Small nonprofits struggle to serve their news-desert communities even on regular days. That’s why NEWSWELL is here.
From Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and Arizona, our team worked around the clock to support the Stocktonia crew – editing and scheduling stories, managing news updates and social media posts, sending alerts, taking rewrite, backing up editors and reporters, editing photos and videos, and building new features on the fly for Stocktonia’s site.
NEWSWELL supports 10 local news sites and any can access our resources when they are in need. This is what we promised when NEWSWELL began: The resources of a national network. The heart of a local newsroom.
In Stockton, the days ahead will require a lot of heart. The four people killed are now being identified. Three of them were children — a 14-year-old and two 8-year-olds. As we write this, the hunt for shooters is still underway. The city is still reeling with those questions: How could this happen, and where do we go from here?
Stocktonia’s team is still on the street uncovering larger stories about community violence and how it can be stopped. NEWSWELL is with them. This is the vision for local news you’re helping us build. On weeks like these, we see why it’s more important than ever.
This update originally appeared in our Dec. 4, 2025, newsletter. This version has been lightly edited for clarity.