Alan Ruiz Jr. was 15 when he was fatally shot on November 25, 2023, while visiting family in Lodi, California, over the Thanksgiving holiday. A sophomore at Pittsburg High School, Alan was described by family as peaceful, deeply religious, and not involved in gangs. The shooting occurred late at night in the 600 block of Hale Road, where he had been staying with his father, grandmother, and aunt.

About an hour later, while speaking with a neighbor outside, an assailant approached and fired multiple shots, including one to the back of his head. Alan was taken to hospital and died of his wounds. Investigators described the attack as targeted and tied to gang activity, though the family reiterated he had no gang ties. Two arrests followed: a 15-year-old from Delhi, Merced County, was booked on suspicion of murder on December 8, 2023, and 30-year-old Alberto Valentin of Lodi was arrested December 10, 2023, with a firearm recovered from his vehicle; Valentin faces homicide, weapons and gang-enhancement charges.

Alan’s family remembers him as a sweet, loving boy and has set up a memorial while seeking funds for funeral expenses. Did anyone in the Lodi area see or hear anything that night that could help investigators or the family?