A 17-year-old boy has been arrested over the Fairfield Spirit Halloween shooting that killed a pregnant mother and wounded six others inside a California costume store, police announced on Monday, November 2, 2026. The arrest, three days after the attack, ended a weekend manhunt in which detectives knew the suspect's identity within hours but kept it secret so they would not jeopardise his capture.

Fairfield Police Chief Dan Marshall told a Monday afternoon news conference that the teenager was taken into custody at his home in Suisun City, a city next to Fairfield. Police have not released his name because he is a juvenile. He faces charges of murder and attempted murder, and Marshall said he could face an additional murder count because the woman killed, 31-year-old Constance Hages, was pregnant.

Key Points

• A 17-year-old suspect was arrested on Monday, November 2, at his home in Suisun City after the October 30 shooting at Solano Town Center in Fairfield, California.
• Constance Hages, 31, a pregnant mother of four, was killed; six other people were wounded in the Spirit Halloween store.
• Police say a school resource officer recognised the suspect as a former student in surveillance footage within hours of the attack.
• Investigators believe the shooting targeted one customer and the suspect acted alone.
• The teenager had spent a few months in juvenile hall over a 2025 shooting, police said.

What Happened

The shooting happened at about 8:30 p.m. on Friday, October 30, inside the Spirit Halloween store at Solano Town Center in Fairfield, about 45 miles north-east of San Francisco. The store was crowded with last-minute Halloween shoppers when the gunman entered, police said.

Fairfield police spokesperson Michelle Belyea said the teenager spotted a customer believed to be his target, pulled out a gun and opened fire. The intended target and six bystanders were struck. Hages died from her injuries. The other six victims were taken to hospital; as of Sunday, local reports said a 19-year-old man remained in critical condition and three other victims were in stable condition.

Heavily armed officers swept the centre, which has about 130 stores, and the FBI's Sacramento office sent an evidence response team to help detectives. Police said on Friday night that the shooting appeared targeted, not random, and that the gunman had fled before officers arrived.

Background: How Police Found the Suspect

Marshall said detectives identified a suspect within hours of the first emergency call, after a school resource officer recognised him as a former student in store surveillance footage. Detectives tracked him through the weekend before moving in on Monday.

"We did not want to risk compromising his whereabouts or the arrest of this person," Marshall said. "We were on him pretty quickly, as far as following him where he is and tracking him down. We were able to finally make an arrest today."

Police first announced a suspect in custody without a name or charges, with detail to follow at a 4:30 p.m. news conference. There, Marshall confirmed the arrest at a home in the 800 block of Harrier Drive in Suisun City and said police do not believe there were any additional shooters.

Marshall also said the teenager had been involved in a 2025 shooting, in which he opened fire on a vehicle at a local high school. He served a few months in juvenile hall and had recently been released, according to police. Investigators have not disclosed the suspect's relationship to the person they believe he targeted, and they have not announced a motive.

Fairfield Spirit Halloween Shooting: What Police Have Confirmed

What police have confirmed is narrow but significant: one person dead, six wounded, one teenager in custody, and an attack treated as targeted rather than indiscriminate. Still undisclosed are the motive, the suspect's relationship to the intended target, and whether the gun has been recovered.

Hages's family told investigators she was pregnant at the time of her death, according to reports citing family members. Police have noted that detail came from the family, not from an official police confirmation, yet it is the basis for Marshall's statement that prosecutors could seek an additional murder count.

The suspect's age also shapes what comes next. Because he is 17, his name is withheld, and juvenile court proceedings in California follow different disclosure rules from adult cases. Police have not said when he will first appear in court or whether prosecutors will seek to try him as an adult.

Reactions and Quotes

"We did not want to risk compromising his whereabouts or the arrest of this person," Marshall said, explaining why police had said so little publicly between Friday night and Monday afternoon.

Why It Matters

The arrest matters for three reasons. First, it resolves the immediate public-safety question: police say the suspect acted alone and there is no ongoing threat. Second, it raises a difficult question about a teenager who, according to police, had already been through the juvenile system for a shooting last year and was recently released. How the courts handle a repeat juvenile gun case, and what supervision followed his release, will come under scrutiny.

Third, it shows how quickly a targeted dispute can become a mass-casualty event in a crowded place: six bystanders were shot alongside the intended target, according to police. That is why investigators treat the targeted-versus-random distinction carefully — it changes the public risk assessment, but not the harm to those caught in the gunfire.

What Happens Next

Detectives will now build the charging case from forensic evidence, surveillance video and witness statements from shoppers and staff inside Solano Town Center on Friday night. Prosecutors will decide the final charges, including the possible additional murder count Marshall raised over Hages's pregnancy.

Police say the investigation remains ongoing and have not ruled out further arrests if evidence points elsewhere, although they currently believe the teenager acted alone. The FBI's Sacramento office continues to assist. Any claim about a motive should be treated with caution until police or prosecutors state it on the record.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was arrested in the Fairfield Spirit Halloween shooting? A 17-year-old boy was arrested on Monday, November 2, at his home in Suisun City. His name has not been released because he is a juvenile, and he faces murder and attempted murder charges.

Who was killed? Constance Hages, 31, was killed. Her family said she was pregnant and a mother of four. Six others were wounded.

Was the shooting random? Police say no. Investigators believe the gunman targeted one customer inside the store and that the other victims were bystanders. The suspect is believed to have acted alone.

How did police identify the suspect? A school resource officer recognised him as a former student in surveillance footage within hours. Detectives tracked him through the weekend before arresting him on Monday.

What happens next? Prosecutors will decide the final charges, including a possible additional murder count linked to the victim's pregnancy. The motive has not been disclosed.

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