STOCKTON, Calif. —

A day of celebration turned to tragedy in Stockton when shots rang out at a birthday party that Patrice Williams was holding for her 2-year-old daughter on Saturday.

"I just wanted all my family to come together," Williams told the Associated Press.

Three children and a 21-year-old were killed, and 11 others were injured.

Williams said they were getting ready to begin cutting her daughter's birthday cake when the gunfire began.

"Everybody was getting ready to gather round," Williams said. "All we heard was gunshots, and everybody just dove to the ground. It was just unexpected."

Williams said she initially thought the sound of gunshots was balloons popping, a sound more at place in a child's birthday party.

She said her daughter's father lost two nieces in the s

See Full Page