'My Heart Broke': Burna Boy Reveals Why He Paid For Stockton Funerals

Grammy-winning artist Burna Boy has revealed why he covered funeral costs for victims of a mass shooting in Stockton, California.

The horrific incident happened last weekend during a toddler's birthday party in California. Four people lost their lives, including three children aged eight, nine, and 14, along with a 21-year-old, according to San Joaquin County Sheriff Patrick Withrow.

Authorities believe the shooting was deliberate but have yet to release a motive or identify a specific target.

Burna Boy, moved by the devastating news, decided to step in and help families facing unimaginable grief. His team coordinated with local officials to ensure funerals could proceed with dignity, lifting some of the financial burden off the affected families.

Chaos Erupted During the Party

The birthday girl's mother, Patrice Williams, initially mistook the gunfire for balloons popping. Thankfully, her two-year-old daughter escaped unharmed.

Williams said her sister, a cousin, and three friends were struck by bullets. Investigators believe the shooting continued outside the venue and that multiple shooters may have been involved.

Burna Boy, born Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, learned about the tragedy from The Breakfast Club radio show. He then immediately pledged to support the bereaved families.

The musician, with 13 Grammy nominations and a 2021 Best Global Music Album award for No Sign of Weakness, moved quickly to provide financial help for the funerals.

Touched by the Story of a Student-Athlete

Burna Boy, 34, was especially moved by the story of Amari Peterson, a student-athlete with a 3.8 GPA. His family described him as a 'bright, loved, and promising young soul'.

To extend his support, Burna Boy reached out to Wack 100, talent manager and co-founder of Cash Money Records, who connected him with Stockton Vice Mayor Jason Lee.

He said, 'When I heard about the children murdered in Stockton, my heart broke. After hearing the story on The Breakfast Club, I reached out to Wack 100 and connected with Jason Lee because no family should ever face this kind of pain alone. I wanted to do whatever I could to support these parents as they begin the long process of healing'.

Vice Mayor Lee responded, 'I want to thank Burna Boy for his support of families and children he has never met but still felt moved to help. Let his generosity serve as an example, so many people want to help but may not know how - and our community needs that support now more than ever'.

Sheriff Urges Residents to Come Forward

Sheriff Withrow made a strong plea to local residents. 'This is a time for our community to show that we will not put up with this type of behavior, when people will just walk in and kill children.'

He continued, 'And so if you know anything about this, you have to come forward and tell us what you know. If not, you just become complacent and think this is acceptable behavior'.
Stockton, home to 320,000 residents and about 80 miles east of San Francisco, recorded 3,680 violent crimes in 2024, more than twice the state average.

Violent crime includes homicide, rape, assault, and robbery. According to the Public Policy Institute of California, the San Joaquin Valley, where Stockton sits, had the highest violent crime rate in the state in 2023.