One teenager killed, another pistol-whipped in Stockton's Unity Park

Stockton police are investigating a shooting that left a teenager dead and another in the hospital Wednesday afternoon.

Shortly after 3 p.m., officers responded to a report of a shooting at Unity Park — near George W. Bush Elementary School and across from Cesar Chavez High School.

Officers rushed to the scene and found a 17-year-old boy suffering from a gunshot wound. He was rushed to the hospital but later died from his injuries. A 16-year-old boy, who authorities said was pistol-whipped, was also found near the park.

The 16-year-old boy is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries, officer Andres Morado said.

Christy Patterson, a spokesperson for the San Joaquin County Medical Examiner, identified the 17-year-old as Thai Khin, a Stockton resident.

Both victims were students of the nearby high school according to Melinda Meza, a spokeswoman for the Stockton Unified School District. The shooting occurred during school hours.

Authorities said there is no motive or suspect information available at this time — investigators are still searching for leads. As of Thursday morning, detectives were scouring the park for evidence.

Shortly after the shooting, at least 13 police cars with lights flashing were seen on Jayden Way near Unity Park. Crime scene tape was wrapped around the park, restricting access from neighborhood children. A police helicopter circled the area as police scoured for clues.

The park, in part, reopened Thursday.

The high school was placed on lockdown due to the shooting and there was a delayed release of students, according to Meza.

Students from Cesar Chavez High School — less than a mile away from Unity Park — passed by the scene on their way home from school, some asking officers for information.

"There will be support staff all week at Chavez as far as counselors, social work assistants and mental health clinicians," she said.

One neighborhood resident riding a bicycle had to take a detour from his usual route when an officer told him he couldn’t pass through the area.

The resident said he wasn't shocked to see the crime scene tape.

“It’s Stockton,” he said.

The shooting came eight months after a stabbing left a student and another person injured at the same park.

"That is very concerning ... the time frame and it being in broad daylight near schools," officer David Scott said. "It's a priority for us for students to feel safe going to and from school. Efforts will be made with extra patrols in the area to get that sense of security."

Record reporter Hannah Workman covers news in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at hworkman@recordnet.com or on Twitter @byhannahworkman. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.

This article originally appeared on The Record: One teenager killed, another pistol-whipped in Stockton's Unity Park