In memory
Amari Peterson
2011 – November 29, 2025
Amari Peterson was 14 years old, carried a 3.8 GPA, played basketball and football, and told his father he loved him every single day. On the Saturday after Thanksgiving, he was shot and killed at a child's birthday party in Stockton, California. He never deserved to be there in the crossfire. Nobody did.
Who he was
Amari grew up in Modesto, California, in a family that loved sports and each other fiercely. His father Patrick — who goes by Pat — described him simply as "the perfect gift from God." That wasn't sentiment for the cameras. It was the kind of thing you say about a kid who made everyone around him better just by showing up.
On the court, Amari wore number 4 for the Central Valley Hornets, a youth basketball league in Salida where he and his siblings had played for years. He was good enough to be moved up a division, competing against older kids and holding his own against high school-age players. His coach, Mike Estrada — with 39 years of experience — called him "the kind of kid we wait for." Quick, dangerous from three, and the first to rally his teammates when they fell behind.
He also played football for the Central Saints and ran track. In the classroom, he kept a 3.8 GPA. None of it was accidental — it was character.
"He had so much to offer the world." — Mike Estrada, Central Valley Hornets
#4
His number
3.8
GPA
14
Years old
November 29, 2025
Amari had wanted to stay home and shoot baskets that Saturday. He went with his family instead — to a birthday party for a two-year-old in north Stockton. What happened next has no explanation that makes it make sense. Gunfire broke out inside the venue. Amari was shot and killed. Two other children and a young adult also died that night. Thirteen more were wounded.
Authorities believe the attack was targeted at others who were present. Amari and the other victims were innocent bystanders. Pat was there with his family, and no father should ever have to go through what he did that night.
What comes next
The Amari Peterson Foundation & Amari P Clothing
Amari P Clothing is Pat's tribute to his son — built with his own hands. Every piece in the collection is designed by Pat and made by him personally. The Originals are one-of-one. There is no factory, no algorithm. Just a father keeping his son's memory alive the only way he knows how: by creating something real.
The proceeds from Amari P Clothing support the Amari Peterson Foundation, a nonprofit being established to honor what Amari represented: a young person with discipline, talent, and a future. The Foundation's mission is to uplift underserved communities — giving kids access to skills, activities, and mentorship that create paths forward and keep them safe.
Because the thing about Amari is that he was exactly the kind of kid those programs produce. Focused. Coachable. Loved. The goal is more kids like him — and fewer nights like November 29th.