A shooting inside a Spirit Halloween store at the Solano Town Center in Fairfield, California, left one woman dead and six others wounded after gunfire broke out during Friday night’s shopping hours. Police identified the woman who died as 31-year-old Constance Hages, whose family told investigators she was pregnant at the time. Authorities believe the shooting involved one suspect and may have been targeted, but they have not publicly explained what triggered the violence.
Officers were called to the shopping center at approximately 8:30 p.m. on October 30 after reports of gunfire inside the Halloween retailer. The incident brought a large emergency response as officers and medical personnel rushed to the scene. Seven people had been shot. Hages died from her injuries, while the six survivors were taken to local hospitals.
The condition of the injured victims became clearer when Fairfield police released an update on Saturday. Three of the survivors, a 16-year-old boy, a 19-year-old man and a 32-year-old man, were listed in critical condition. A 23-year-old man was also hospitalized in critical but stable condition.
The remaining two victims, a 19-year-old man and a 43-year-old man, had received medical treatment and were released from the hospital. Police did not publicly identify the six survivors. Their injuries brought the total number of people shot during the incident to seven, including Hages.
Investigators are treating the shooting as a possible targeted attack involving one suspect inside the Spirit Halloween store. However, authorities have not said who the suspect is, whether the person knew any of the victims or what may have led to the gunfire. Police also have not confirmed whether the shooting was directed at a particular individual.
Detectives are examining surveillance footage and other available evidence in an effort to identify the person responsible. The FBI’s Sacramento office has joined the investigation, deploying its Evidence Response Team to assist Fairfield police. Despite the additional support, no arrest had been announced as of the latest available update.
Witness accounts have also provided a glimpse of the panic inside the shopping center. One witness told local television station KCRA that shoppers began running after gunshots were heard inside the store. Another witness described hearing several popping sounds before a second round of gunfire sent shoppers rushing toward the exits. People were trying to get away from the store as the situation unfolded.
The shooting happened on the eve of Halloween, when many families were making last-minute purchases for the holiday. Solano Town Center subsequently canceled its planned Mall-O-Ween trick-or-treating event for Saturday. The shopping center said it would remain open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., while the Spirit Halloween store would stay closed as authorities continued their work.
The incident has also raised concerns among residents who were preparing to attend Halloween activities across the area. Fairfield police acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the shooting and urged residents to remain alert, look out for one another and report suspicious activity. The department has not released further details about a possible motive.
Beyond the investigation, the death of Constance Hages remains the most painful part of the incident for her family. Her relatives told police she was pregnant, although the Solano County Coroner was expected to confirm that information following an examination. Six other people were also left injured, with four still receiving hospital care in the latest police update.
Anyone with information about the shooting is being asked to contact the Fairfield Police Department at 707-428-7600 or email 1030mall@fairfield.ca.gov. Detectives continue working to identify the suspect and establish exactly what happened inside the store.
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