Family Demands Justice After Police Shooting of Stockton Teen

STOCKTON, Calif. — A family in Stockton is demanding answers after police shot and killed 19-year-old Rocco Robinson during an encounter on Tuesday evening at the intersection of Doray Court and Pixie Drive.

Officers from the Stockton Police Department confirmed Robinson was the man involved in the shooting and provided details in a public statement on Wednesday. At the scene, family members released balloons in his memory and set up a memorial near the evidence markers left by police.

Maria Seymour, Robinson’s aunt, shared her pain, stating, “He always told me he loved me. My mind is still all over the place. I still can’t think straight.” Seymour and other family members lit candles and mourned together, calling for justice.

According to police reports, officers were conducting a proactive enforcement stop when they approached a vehicle that Robinson was in. During the interaction, Robinson exited the car, struggled with the officers, and then fled on foot.

Police released images from body-worn cameras that show Robinson running and reaching for a handgun that officers say he dropped during the chase. A police press release described the encounter, stating, “During the foot chase, the suspect dropped a loaded firearm while fleeing. In his attempt to retrieve the weapon, he inadvertently kicked it forward and then ran after it, rearming himself despite repeatedly ignoring commands from the officers.” Police noted this led to the officer-involved shooting, resulting in multiple gunshot wounds to Robinson.

Officers recovered a unserialized handgun, commonly referred to as a ghost gun, along with two high-capacity magazines from the scene. One magazine contained 26 rounds, while another was fully loaded with 17 rounds. A resident nearby captured video moments after the shooting, showing officers forming a line to keep a crowd from the area.

Seymour, who heard the gunshots from her home a block away, rushed to the scene but was prevented from reaching her nephew. “When I got here, he was already laying there,” she recalled. “I tried to get to him, but they wouldn’t let me get to him.”

Describing Robinson, she said, “My poor baby. He’s such a good-hearted, like a good kid. I just can’t believe this happened to him.” Robinson’s mother, too emotional to speak on camera, expressed a deep need for answers regarding her son’s death. “I just can’t accept that. I can’t. There’s no way you could justify shooting my son, like there’s no way,” she said.

A multi-agency investigation into the shooting is currently underway, involving the Stockton Police Department, the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation, and the State Department of Justice. All officers involved in the incident have been placed on paid administrative leave.