One person was killed and six were injured when gunfire broke out among customers at a Spirit Halloween store in Fairfield, California, on Friday evening.
Police have released no description of the suspected shooter and have not said whether more than one person was involved. No one has been detained.
The store, a temporary Halloween pop-up in the space previously occupied by Best Buy, was open and full of customers at the Solano Town Center mall at about 8:30 p.m., on the eve of Halloween. The mall has approximately 130 stores.
David Bernal’s wife was shopping inside when the shooting began. She heard what she described as ‘five big bangs, big ones, like loud’ and escaped through an exit on the other side of the mall.
Another witness said his wife heard roughly seven shots before bystanders ran for safety.
Michelle Marie Anderson was dropping her niece at the mall when she heard a young person who appeared to have been shot calling for help.
One person was pronounced dead at the scene. Six people were taken to hospital, where at least three were listed in critical condition. Police did not immediately release the victims’ names or ages.
Bernal told KCRA that his wife was “at home right now, still in shock”.
SWAT teams then moved through the mall, searching areas where the shooter or shooters might have been hiding.
The search included the Regal Edwards movie theatre, where about a dozen people had been watching the horror film ‘Halloween’.
Caitlin Fry, who was in the theatre, told CBS Sacramento that an officer in full SWAT gear entered carrying a large Maglite and asked whether anyone with a gun had come inside.
The FBI Sacramento sent its Evidence Response Team to assist the Fairfield Police Department.
At a press conference just before midnight on Friday, Fairfield Police Chief Dan Marshall said: “This is still a very active crime scene. Detectives are speaking with witnesses and diligently working to identify the suspect responsible for this horrific shooting”.
Marshall said the mall’s cameras could help investigators. “the mall has cameras so hopefully we'll get some good information”, he said.
No areas outside the Solano Town Center mall were placed on lockdown.
Suisun City Mayor Alma Hernandez expressed concern for the victims and their families.
Police asked anyone with information to contact the Fairfield Police Department at 707-428-7600 or email 1030mall@fairfield.ca.gov.
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