17-Year-Old Arrested in Spirit Halloween Shooting

A 17-year-old boy was arrested in connection with a shooting at a Spirit Halloween store in California that resulted in the death of a pregnant woman and injuries to six others, police announced Monday.

The suspect, whose name has not been released due to his age, is being charged with one count of murder. Authorities may add another murder charge due to the victim’s pregnancy, according to Fairfield Police Chief Dan Marshall.

The shooting occurred at the Solano Town Center mall in Fairfield around 8:30 p.m. on Friday. The suspect was arrested in Suisun City, a neighboring municipality, during a news conference held by police.

Among the injured, a 16-year-old boy and two men aged 19 and 32 were in critical condition. A 23-year-old man was stable in critical condition, while two others, aged 19 and 43, were treated and released, according to authorities.

All but one of the hospitalized victims had been stabilized by Monday, with one remaining in critical condition, Marshall reported.

The shooter entered the store and targeted a specific individual before opening fire, according to Officer Michelle Belyea. The suspect used a handgun, and there may have been a previous altercation with a victim, Marshall added.

Marshall noted that the suspect had previously opened fire on a vehicle at a local high school and was in custody for several months. He criticized what he described as a lack of accountability for youth in California.

Detectives identified the suspect hours after the attack but avoided alerting him. The teen was arrested at his home on Monday afternoon, Marshall stated.

The suspect is believed to have acted alone, according to police. Fairfield, a city with a population of over 122,000, is located approximately 45 miles northeast of San Francisco.