Fairfield Shooting: 1 Dead, 6 Hurt at Spirit Halloween Inside Solano Town Center

One person was killed and six others were wounded Friday night, Oct. 30, when gunfire broke out inside a Spirit Halloween store at the Solano Town Center mall in Fairfield, California, police said. As of Saturday morning, no one had been arrested, and police said they were still working to identify whoever was responsible.

The shooting came on the eve of Halloween, inside a seasonal costume store that would normally be among the busiest shops in the mall that weekend.

What happened at the Fairfield mall?

The Fairfield Police Department said officers responded to a shooting at the Spirit Halloween store inside Solano Town Center at about 8:30 p.m. local time Friday (11:30 p.m. ET), according to KCRA and NBC Bay Area.

Police said seven people were shot. One of them died, and the other six were taken to the hospital, NBC Bay Area reported. Fox News, citing police, said the surviving victims were taken to local hospitals.

Authorities initially described it as an active shooter incident, NBC Bay Area reported. Neighboring agencies helped with the response: Suisun City police provided mutual aid with the multiple victims and joined the search for a suspect, KCRA reported. The California Highway Patrol said it was helping with traffic control and clearing buildings.

Who was hurt in the Spirit Halloween shooting?

Police have released very little about the victims. At least three of the six wounded people were in critical condition, Fairfield Police Chief Dan Marshall said at a news conference, according to NBC News.

Their ages were not released, KCRA reported, and authorities did not immediately release the identities of the victims, according to Fox News. The name of the person who died had not been made public in the reports reviewed for this story.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims of this heartbreaking incident,” Marshall said, according to NBC News.

Is there a suspect in the Solano mall shooting?

Not publicly. NBC News described a manhunt underway for the shooter. Marshall said detectives were “diligently working to identify the suspect or suspects responsible for this horrific shooting.”

KCRA reported that police said no one had been detained, and that they did not have information about a possible shooter or shooters. Police were also trying to determine how many shots were fired. NBC Bay Area said the suspect had not been identified and called it an ongoing investigation.

No motive has been reported, and police have not said whether the shooter knew any of the victims. It is also not yet clear from the reporting whether one or more people opened fire.

What did witnesses at Solano Town Center describe?

David Bernal told KCRA that his wife was inside the Spirit Halloween store when the shooting began. She escaped with several other people through an emergency exit, he told the station, as reported by NBC News.

“She’s at home right now, still in shock,” Bernal said, adding that she heard “five big bangs, big ones, like loud.” He said she ran and made her way out of an exit on the other side of the mall.

Speaking to KCRA, a witness said his wife told him she heard “like five, six, seven shots when people were running.” Witness accounts of the number of shots differ slightly, and police have not given an official count.

What have local officials said?

Suisun City Mayor Alma Hernandez said in a statement shared by NBC Bay Area that “our thoughts are with the City of Fairfield tonight.” She urged residents to stay alert, follow the Fairfield Police Department and the City of Fairfield’s official channels for updates, and “avoid sharing unverified posts, which can spread confusion and hinder the response.”

“Once this incident is resolved, we will need to come together as a community to support each other, the victims, and everyone affected by this tragedy,” Hernandez said.

Was it connected to another Spirit Halloween shooting?

Hours earlier on Friday, a person was shot dead inside a Spirit Halloween store in Madison Heights, Michigan, NBC News reported. Police there said a 21-year-old Detroit resident died of his injuries and a 21-year-old man was taken into custody. NBC News reported that the two incidents do not appear to be connected.

How can people share information with Fairfield police?

Police are asking anyone with information to call the Fairfield Police Department at 707-428-7600 or email 1030mall@fairfield.ca.gov, according to KCRA and Fox News.

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