By Tiffany Williams –
Black Friday chaos erupted on both coasts as violence and mayhem tore through what should’ve been a routine holiday weekend.
In California, shoppers at Valley Fair Mall in Santa Clara were sent running after gunfire left two people wounded. Cops in San Jose called it an isolated incident but cleared out the entire mall to make sure no other threat was lurking. The victims were rushed to a hospital as officers locked down one of the busiest shopping days of the year. San Jose and Santa Clara sit just 50 miles south of San Francisco — but on Friday, they felt a world apart from holiday cheer.
A day later, Stockton was hit with something far worse. A family gathering at a banquet hall turned into a bloodbath — at least four people killed and 10 wounded, according to the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office. Gunfire tore through the hall shortly before 6 p.m. on Lucile Avenue. Public information officer Heather Brent called the shooting “unfathomable.” Victims ranged from juveniles to adults. Several were hospitalized. Early signs point to a targeted attack, but authorities haven’t named a suspect or made any arrests. Stockton, a city of about 320,000, is 45 miles south of Sacramento — and now the site of one of the state’s deadliest recent shootings.
In Florida, fire station walls hid a different kind of horror. Four fire and rescue workers were arrested for what authorities say was “violent” hazing of a 19-year-old firefighter working a 24-hour shift at Fire Station 21 in Ocala. Sheriff Billy Woods said it began with “grease being smeared on the victim” before spiraling into a beating with a belt and waterboarding. Edward Kenny III, 22; Seth Day, 22; and Tate Trauthwein, 19, were nailed on kidnapping, robbery and battery charges. Paramedic Kaylee Bradley, 25, was hit with robbery and principal/accessory to robbery. According to the arrest affidavit, the group tried to force the rookie to give up his cellphone password after learning he’d had a viral TikTok video. The hazing allegedly escalated with Trauthwein whipping him and suspects laughing as water was poured over a towel on his face three times. The firefighter said he only got free when a service call came in — and he never gave up the password. All four employees have been terminated as the department braces for more fallout and possible administrative action.
West Palm Beach saw its own nightmare when police arrested Ihab Mustafa El Mahmoud, 43, after he allegedly tried to mow down members of an LGBTQIA+ running club with his SUV. Officers said he made multiple passes at the group in a Ford Bronco, “intentionally” attempting to strike them and then ripping across sidewalks, grass and an embankment before fleeing. Cops say he became enraged over a “perceived comment” from a male club member. El Mahmoud is now facing two counts of aggravated assault with intent to commit a felony and reckless driving — and officials are weighing hate-crime enhancements.
And in Los Angeles, Thanksgiving started with a jolt when singer and actor Ray J — real name Willie Ray Norwood Jr. — was arrested on suspicion of making criminal threats. LAPD officers responded to a call for assault with a deadly weapon and domestic violence at 3:55 a.m. Video posted by TMZ appeared to show Norwood livestreaming a confrontation with Princess Love, who can be heard saying: “You just pointed a gun at me.” Norwood denies it in the clip but later appears to threaten to shoot someone. The couple shares two children — and now a holiday nightmare that’s still unfolding.