FAIRFIELD, Calif. — Authorities in Northern California are searching for a lone shooter who opened fire inside a crowded Spirit Halloween store on Friday night, killing an expectant mother and wounding six other people, police said.
Officers were dispatched around 8:30 p.m. to the Solano Town Center shopping mall in Fairfield, located about 37 miles southwest of Sacramento, following reports of gunfire, according to the Fairfield Police Department. Investigators said preliminary findings indicate the shooting was a targeted incident involving a single assailant who escaped before police arrived.
Victims identified as community mourns
Police identified the woman who died as Constance Hages, 31. Family members told detectives that Hages was pregnant at the time of the shooting, ABC News reported. Relatives told the New York Post that Hages was a mother of four and formerly worked at San Francisco International Airport.
Six other people suffered gunshot wounds in the attack. Police reported that three males — ages 16, 19 and 32 — remained hospitalized in critical condition. A 23-year-old man was listed in critical but stable condition. Two other men, ages 19 and 43, were treated for their wounds and released from medical facilities, according to police statements.
Chaos unfolds inside packed retail shop
The temporary costume shop had opened inside a former Best Buy space within the shopping complex and was filled with teenagers and families preparing for the holiday weekend, the New York Post reported.
Shoppers reported hearing multiple loud pops before panic spread through the aisles. Witness Miena Davis told KCRA that customers initially paused in confusion until a second burst of gunfire prompted a dash for safety. Davis said people pushed open a security barrier to escape back into the interior mall concourse. Another customer, Javier Espinoza, told the outlet that patrons had to lift the lower edge of a security gate so individuals could crawl underneath.
Cellphone video recorded by 15-year-old Jocelyn Lopez Tabares showed shoppers taking cover between merchandise displays, the New York Post reported. Discarded belongings and footwear were found scattered across the parking lot outside in the aftermath of the evacuation.
In a statement, Spirit Halloween announced that the Fairfield location would stay shuttered until further notice to assist investigators and respect those affected, KCRA reported.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims of this heartbreaking incident,” Spirit Halloween said in a public statement. “We are fully cooperating with local law enforcement as they investigate the circumstances surrounding this event.”
Federal agents join investigation
The FBI’s Sacramento field office dispatched its Evidence Response Team to help local detectives process the scene, federal officials said. Officers from the California Highway Patrol and the Suisun City Police Department also provided mutual aid during the emergency response.
Solano Town Center reopened for regular business hours on Saturday but canceled its scheduled “Mall-O-Ween” trick-or-treating event, shopping center management said in a statement.
As of Sunday, no suspects have been taken into custody. Detectives continue to review surveillance recordings and gather physical evidence to establish a motive and identify the gunman, police said.
