A 15-year-old boy is now behind bars after allegedly fatally stabbing an 18-year-old man in front of a Target at the West Valley Mall on June 26 in Tracy, according to investigators.
The Tracy Police Department said the death marked the city’s first homicide reported in 2026.
At about 6:30 p.m. on Friday, June 26, Tracy police said the department’s communications center received multiple reports of a stabbing in front of Target at 2800 Naglee Road.
Police said as officers responded to the scene, dispatchers received additional information about the stabbing. Callers said the boy responsible for the stabbing was attempting to walk away and that multiple witnesses were trying to stop the boy near Hobby Lobby.
The store is about 350 feet away from Target.
Arriving officers found the 18-year-old man with stab wounds, police said. Bystanders and officers attempted to stop the bleeding before the man was taken to a hospital.
Additional responding officers contacted the 15-year-old suspect and arrested him without further incident, police said.
Police said the man died at the hospital during medical treatment because of the severity of his stab wounds.
The San Joaquin County Medical Examiner’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for the identification of the man.
The suspect and victim are believed to have known each other, according to police. The victim’s mother alleged her son was killed by a neighbor.
‘Siempre en nuestro corazón’ (‘Always in our hearts’)
To the left of the front of the Target store, near a tree, a memorial was set up for the 18-year-old who was killed.
Hanging on the tree trunk was a star with messages addressed to “Andy.” A photo of the man was placed in the center.
He had turned 18 in April, according to dates on messages left at the scene.
“You will always be the best brother,” “We will train again once I get up there” and “Siempre en nuestro corazón,” were among the messages. The English translation is “Always in our hearts.”
On the ground, several candles were placed alongside many flowers.
One candle signed by Danny read: “I miss you, Andy. You were my best friend, my fishing buddy … fly high. I love you, Andy.”
At 8 p.m. Sunday, a vehicle pulled up near the memorial site. One man carried a large white cross, which the occupants of the vehicle left at the site.
Across the cross, the dates “04.27.08” and “06.26.26” were written in black. On the cross, the name “Andy” was written in cursive.
Some shoppers in the area paused to take a look at the memorial as they left. Others took a closer look, made the sign of the cross, and some said short prayers to themselves.
One woman dressed in black went up to the tree and knelt for some time. As she walked away from the site, she wiped tears from her face.
Financial support
The mother of the young man who was killed, Rosalinda Garcia Villa, created a GoFundMe page to help with funeral expenses.
Garcia Villa said in Spanish that she was asking for help because her son had been killed. She said a neighbor killed him. She said she is a single mother and needs help paying for funeral costs.
The fundraiser’s goal is $20,000 and had raised $3,646 as of Monday morning.
Record reporter Victoria Franco covers public safety in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at vfranco@gannett.com. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.
This article originally appeared on The Record: Teen stabbed to death outside Target at Tracy’s West Valley Mall
Reporting by Victoria Franco, The Stockton Record / The Record
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Victoria Franco, The Stockton Record | USA TODAY Network
