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HU Staff: Kecia Gayle @kecia.kae
On the eve of Election Day, Stockton Councilwoman Michele Padilla is facing public criticism from the mother of Amari Peterson, a child murdered in the November 29, 2025, mass shooting in North Stockton. The grieving mother alleges that Padilla never contacted her family and recently blocked her on Facebook after she repeatedly sought acknowledgment and answers.
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The allegations have added a deeply personal dimension to Stockton’s District 1 election, where Padilla faces challenger Tamica Small, a retired probation officer with 22 years of experience and a mother of three.
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With the first anniversary of the mass shooting approaching, Amari’s mother says her family continues to live with unanswered questions and the absence of meaningful support from the councilwoman representing the district where her son was killed.

“Not once have you reached out to me or my family,” she wrote on Facebook. “Not once have you acknowledged the pain our family continues to live with or answered the questions I’ve repeatedly asked.”
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