In a quiet post that broke a months‑long silence, Stockton’s own rap star MBNel—real name Johnel Dongon—offered his condolences for the brutal shooting that took place on November 29. The incident left four people dead and 11 others wounded at a little girl’s birthday party held in the Monkey Space banquet hall.
In the 20‑day‑old Instagram story, MBNel wrote, “What happened in Stockton has left families carrying an unimaginable loss.” He added that he would “move quietly and intentionally,” choosing not to speak about details or speculation.
Who is MBNel?
The artist is the son of Junior Dongon, who told the Post this month that his child had been injured in the massacre and subsequently fled to the Sacramento area because of safety concerns. MBNel had already left Stockton two years ago after a harrowing incident where a group of men fired 22 shots at his parents’ home. According to Junior, his son had only stopped by a friend’s party—where a two‑year‑old was celebrating—to drop off a gift. He was shot but survived. “He called me and said, ‘Don’t say anything to anybody,’” Junior recounted.
What happened at the party?
Gunfire erupted during the celebrations at Monkey Space, resulting in four deaths—two children and two adults—and serious injuries to more than a dozen other partygoers. Among the fallen were 14‑year‑old Amari Peterson, a star student described by his father as “the perfect kid,” and 3rd‑grader Maya Lupian, who was only a couple of weeks shy of her ninth birthday. The violence has rattled Stockton’s roughly 300,000‑strong community, which is already grappling with high crime rates.
Police response
The investigation has yet to make any arrests directly tied to the shooting, though community leaders have urged anyone with information to step forward. Shortly after the incident, two patrons were detained for parole violations, but officials said they were not suspects. Within a few hours of the tragedy, Stockton police arrested five individuals on gun‑ and gang‑related charges; however, authorities have not linked these arrests to the November 29 shooting.
Stockton Mayor Christina Fugazi has linked the massacre to the city’s ongoing gang‑related violence. With no clear suspects identified yet, residents and officials alike remain on edge as the case unfolds.
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