Stockton Mayor Christina Fugazi fired back at a Texas-based organization claiming to broker peace between rival gangs following a deadly mass shooting that targeted local rappers at a child’s birthday party.
The Youth Peace and Justice Foundation announced a 21-day conditional ceasefire between Stockton gangs after the November 29 shooting at Monkey Space banquet hall that killed four people, including three children.
The shooting reportedly targeted rapper MBnel, who attended the party alongside fellow Stockton artists Fly Boy Dougi3 and NanoMB. MBnel has since gone into hiding, fearing for his life after the attack, according to his father.
Fly Boy Dougi3 and NanoMB were also present during the shooting. Both rappers are currently locked up on parole violations for attending the party.
“I don’t even know if they came to Stockton,” Fugazi said. “All I know is we are already doing the things that they are telling us to do.”
The foundation’s announcement came with demands that city leaders reject an $8 million state grant for violence prevention. The group positioned itself as a cost-free alternative to the city’s existing programs.
Fugazi rejected the ultimatum outright.
“Go somewhere else,” she said. “You are not going to use this tragedy to profit off our city.”
The foundation’s ceasefire claim includes a 21-day timeline for city officials to implement unspecified changes. However, both Stockton police and the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office said they have no evidence that any peace summit occurred.
“At this time, no information has been provided identifying who participated in a meeting, how any claimed agreement would be monitored, enforced, or sustained, or if any agreement was in fact made,” the sheriff’s office stated.
Fugazi said her office already met with 308 gang members representing 54 different gangs this year, with 88% coming from the most active groups. Despite these efforts, the birthday party shooting highlighted ongoing violence in the city.
The foundation is based in Uvalde, Texas, and has declined interview requests from local media. Their press releases demand immediate action from city leaders but provide no verification of their claimed gang negotiations.