By Ahmed Abdelsalam
A 17-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with a shooting at a Spirit Halloween store in Fairfield, California, that left a pregnant woman dead and six others injured, police announced Monday.
Suspect Arrested in Suisun City
The shooting occurred around 8:30 p.m. Friday at the Solano Town Center mall as shoppers prepared for Halloween. The suspect, whose name is being withheld because he is a minor, was taken into custody at his home in nearby Suisun City on Monday afternoon.
Victims Identified
Fairfield Police Chief Dan Marshall said the teen will be charged with one count of murder in the death of 31-year-old Constance Hages, who was pregnant. An additional murder count may be filed because of the pregnancy. Six other people were wounded: a 16-year-old boy and two men, aged 19 and 32, were listed in critical condition; a 23-year-old man was in stable but critical condition; and two men, aged 19 and 43, were treated and released. All but one of those still hospitalized had been stabilized as of Monday, with one remaining in critical condition.
Targeted Attack, Prior Incident
Officer Michelle Belyea, a police spokesperson, said the shooter entered the store and targeted a specific individual. Marshall said a handgun was used and there may have been a prior altercation between the suspect and a victim. Marshall revealed the suspect had opened fire on a vehicle at a local high school last year and spent a few months in custody.
Police Chief Criticizes Youth Accountability
Marshall criticized what he described as a lack of accountability for youth in California, saying, “This event shouldn’t have even occurred.”
Investigation Details
Detectives identified the suspect hours after the attack but delayed arrest to avoid tipping him off. The teen is believed to have acted alone. Fairfield, a city of more than 122,000, lies about 45 miles northeast of San Francisco.
