Chilling new details emerged Wednesday about the deadly Spirit Halloween shooting that left a pregnant woman dead and six others wounded, as prosecutors revealed the teenage suspect allegedly hunted down his intended target inside a store packed with families and children.
Monte Smith, 17, made his first court appearance Wednesday in connection with the Oct. 30 bloodbath at the Solano Town Center mall in Fairfield, where more than 100 shoppers were looking for last-minute Halloween costumes when gunfire erupted, per KCRA3.
Solano County prosecutors described the horrifying attack as an act of terrorism, revealing the accused gunman allegedly followed a man he had a previous issue with into the crowded store before unleashing a barrage of bullets.
The suspect had entered the mall with an underage girl when he spotted the man, who was shopping with family members and had stopped to chat with acquaintances inside Spirit Halloween, according to prosecutors.
Smith allegedly pursued the man into the store and whipped out a semiautomatic handgun, opening fire as terrified families waited in a winding checkout line with their children.
The gunfire struck seven people, including the alleged intended target, sending panicked shoppers fleeing for their lives as parents desperately tried to shield their kids.
Among those killed was 31-year-old Constance Hages, who authorities said was an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire.
In a heartbreaking revelation, prosecutors disclosed that Hages was 13 weeks pregnant when she was fatally shot. Prosecutors filed a second murder charge against Smith in connection with the death of her unborn child.
Six other victims suffered gunshot wounds, including a 16-year-old boy and five men ranging in age from 19 to 43. Four remained hospitalized Wednesday, while two others had been released.
But another disturbing revelation was that the accused killer was already on probation for a previous shooting.
Authorities said Smith had fired a gun into a vehicle occupied by other teenagers in the parking lot of Fairfield High School in 2025. He spent several months locked up in juvenile detention before being released, according to police.
Prosecutors said the juvenile justice system had previously attempted to rehabilitate the teen, who now stands accused of carrying out a far deadlier attack.
Smith faces two counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder and three counts of assault with a semiautomatic weapon, along with multiple firearm enhancements and a special-circumstance allegation involving multiple murders.
Prosecutors also filed an allegation tied to a prior violent-offense conviction, classified as a strike under California law.
The Solano County District Attorney’s Office is now fighting to have him tried as an adult, but California law presents a hurdle.
Under Proposition 57, approved by voters in 2016, prosecutors can no longer automatically file juvenile cases in adult criminal court.
Instead, a judge must find clear and convincing evidence that a minor cannot be rehabilitated within the juvenile justice system before approving a transfer.
District Attorney Krishna Abrams’ office pushed to keep Smith locked up, citing the severity of the alleged crimes, his criminal history and concerns about public safety.
During Wednesday’s hearing, Smith’s alternate public defender requested that he be released to a home placement, but the judge rejected the request, ordering him to remain in juvenile detention without bail.
His arraignment was postponed until Nov. 13 to give his defense attorney more time to review police reports and surveillance footage. Investigators have already collected more than 90 witness statements.
Smith was arrested Monday at a Suisun City home after a Fairfield police school resource officer recognized him as a former student while reviewing surveillance footage from the Halloween store, authorities said.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Bruce Flynn said the decision on whether Smith will face prosecution as an adult could take several weeks.
The accused gunman is scheduled to return to Solano County Juvenile Court on Nov. 13 at 9 a.m.
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