The city of Stockton is still feeling the shock and pain from Saturday’s mass shooting at a child’s birthday party that left four dead and at least 13 others injured.

As the investigation continues, officials have stated that they believe the shooting was a targeted, gang-related attack. The gunmen responsible for the shooting, of which three of the victims killed were children, are still not in police custody.

One of those children killed was 14-year-old Amari Peterson.

From Stockton to Modesto, Peterson is being remembered as a young teen who was loved by his teachers, recruited by schools for his athletic talent, and a boy who dreamed of making his father proud.

Family of Amari Peterson via GoFundMe

“My son was the perfect kid, man. He was the perfect son,” said Amari’s father, Patrick Peterson.

Peterson is a Modesto barber, respected as both a youth basketball coach and father, according to his peers in the youth sports community.

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Peterson Family

Four days after their son was killed and his younger sister was grazed by a bullet, the Peterson family recalled that horrific night.

“I wake up screaming, crying. All I keep seeing is my son just gasping for air and trying to breathe,” said Peterson.

He said the family went to the building on Lucile Avenue and Thornton Road on Saturday after a friend of the host invited them to celebrate the birthday of a 2-year-old. Both parents say they don’t spend much time in Stockton, but felt safe when they arrived just before 5 p.m.

Peterson said he noticed several people arrive who appeared to be local rappers and wondered if they had children at the party.

He said a woman asked Amari if she wanted to meet one of them, and that was the moment the young teen left their table but still within Peterson’s view.

Just moments later, he heard what sounded like either gunfire or balloons popping.

“I’m just standing there, but I don’t see any balloons popping. I started seeing dust particles from the wall,” Peterson said.

Seconds later, he said he saw a masked gunman walk through the doors, firing shots with no regard for human life.

He saw his wife screaming on the other side of the room as he scrambled to put eyes on his young children. Peterson said he rushed to grab and shield his infant daughter nearby.

When the gunfire ended, Peterson lifted his head up to see his son Amari crawling on the ground, and bodies lying across the floor. He described it as “worse than a horror movie”.

“It’s a feeling you can’t even explain, trying to survive gunfire, and trying to save your kids and then you see your son on the ground shot, and you know you’re the only one that could try to save him,” Peterson said.

The family said that after sitting in the hospital waiting for nearly eight hours, they learned the news that Amari did not survive.

“I want to see him so bad. I just want him back in my life,” Peterson said.

Now, the family is calling for accountability and justice for Amari.

“We’re not from Stockton, we’re from out here (Modesto). He was just an innocent 14-year-old. If you were a part of this situation, if your name is popping up in this situation, you need to pay for what happened. They need to be held accountable,” Peterson said.

The family’s daughter is recovering physically, but Peterson said the entire family is scarred mentally.

A GoFundMe page was created to help the family during this difficult time.