Wednesday, December 15, 2021
Police say 7 people were shot, 1 fatally, at a Spirit Halloween store in Fairfield, California's Solano Town Center on Oct. 30; 3 are critical and no one is in custody.
Seven people were shot Friday night inside a Spirit Halloween store at Solano Town Center, a shopping mall in Fairfield, California. Police were called at about 8:30 p.m. on October 30. One person died at the scene. The other six were taken to local hospitals, and at least three are in critical condition, according to the Fairfield Police Department. Police have not released the names or ages of the victims.
No one was in custody as of late Friday. Police Chief Dan Marshall said detectives are talking with witnesses and reviewing the mall's security cameras. Investigators did not yet know whether they were looking for one shooter or more, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Police said they do not believe there is an immediate threat to the public. The motive is unknown, and police have not said whether the shooting was targeted. They also pushed back on social media posts claiming 13 to 15 people were hurt. These counts are as of Saturday morning and may change.
The California Highway Patrol helped clear the building and control traffic, and Suisun City police assisted with the search. Police asked anyone with information or video to call 707-428-7600. The mall is expected to reopen once police release the scene, but no time has been given. Earlier the same day, a separate shooting at a Spirit Halloween store in Madison Heights, Michigan, killed one man after an argument, and a suspect there is in custody.
Halloween weekend packs malls, costume shops, trunk-or-treat events and neighborhood streets. A crowded store is where a plan helps most, because noise and costumes make it hard to tell what is happening. When you walk into a busy store, note two ways out, including the back stockroom door. If shots ring out, the first steps to survive an active shooter are to get out and away from the sound. If you cannot get out, put a locked door and solid walls between your family and the shooter.
Kids in costumes are easy to lose in a crowd. Before tonight, pick a spot where everyone meets if you get separated, and run a quick family meeting spot drill so even the youngest knows it. Gunshot wounds can become life threatening before help can reach a crowded mall. Knowing how to stop severe bleeding and keeping a tourniquet in your car lets you help until paramedics arrive.
Where it stands now: one person is dead, three are in critical condition, and the shooter has not been found. The wider trend is tracked in mass shootings in 2026. Before you head out tonight, agree on your meeting spot and check that every phone is charged. Be Prepared Not Scared!
