One killed, six wounded in Fairfield Halloween store shooting

Fairfield police responded at about 8:30 p.m. on October 30 to reports of gunfire inside the Spirit Halloween store at Solano Town Center. Seven people had gunshot wounds. One died at the scene, and the six others were taken to hospitals; officials said at least three were seriously hurt. The victims’ names had not been made public by October 31.

The store was open to shoppers preparing for Halloween when shots were fired. Witnesses described people running and screaming. David Bernal said his wife, who was inside the store, escaped through an emergency exit after hearing several loud shots. Another witness said she and her son took cover in their car as people fled the mall.

Detectives were interviewing witnesses and reviewing mall surveillance footage as they worked to identify the person or people responsible. Police had not announced an arrest or released a suspect description. The investigation remained active, and authorities asked anyone who knew something to reach out to Fairfield police.

The Fairfield shooting followed a fatal shooting earlier on October 30 at a separate Spirit Halloween store in Madison Heights, Michigan. Police said the two incidents did not appear to be connected. In that case, a 21-year-old man died after an argument with another 21-year-old, who was taken into custody and hospitalized after bystanders attacked him.