DALLAS, TX — A wave of shootings across the country over Halloween weekend left multiple people dead and dozens injured, according to police and local officials in several states.
Gunfire was reported in busy nightlife areas, near college campuses and at two Halloween stores, turning a holiday weekend that drew large crowds into a series of emergencies for law enforcement and first responders.
Authorities in Texas, Alabama, Delaware, Illinois, Arkansas, California and Michigan each reported violent incidents that unfolded from Saturday night into early Sunday.
Dallas shootings leave four dead and at least fifteen wounded
In Dallas’ Deep Ellum neighborhood, police said three shootings over about 75 minutes Saturday night killed four people and injured at least 15 others. Investigators were still trying to determine whether the incidents were linked.
Police said some arrests were made, but they did not say how many people were taken into custody or what charges might be filed. Deep Ellum is a nightlife district that can draw large crowds on weekend nights, especially during holiday events.
The shootings added to an especially violent stretch of the weekend and became one of the deadliest episodes reported in the country during the holiday period.
Birmingham violence follows the Magic City Classic crowd
In Birmingham, Alabama, one person was killed and eight others were wounded in two shootings near Legion Field after the Magic City Classic football game Saturday night, Mayor Randall Woodfin said.
Nearly 70,000 people attended the game, making the area especially crowded when the shootings happened. Fire officials said two of the wounded were in critical condition on Sunday.
Police said one person was detained and that officers recovered multiple weapons. Officials did not immediately say what led to the shootings or whether the incidents were connected.
Campus-area shootings injure students and visitors in Delaware and Illinois
Several other shootings took place near college campuses. In Newark, Delaware, police said six people were shot late Saturday near the University of Delaware and were taken to hospitals.
Their conditions were not immediately known. Police did not release details about what sparked the gunfire or say whether anyone had been arrested.
In Bloomington, Illinois, a shooting early Sunday near Illinois Wesleyan University killed a 19-year-old woman and wounded seven others, police said. One woman was in critical condition, while the other six had injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
Arkansas police say an altercation appeared to come first
In Fayetteville, Arkansas, six people were hospitalized with gunshot wounds after an early Sunday shooting near the University of Arkansas, police said.
Investigators said an altercation appeared to have happened before the shooting. No arrests had been made as of Sunday, and officers did not immediately identify the people involved.
The shooting added another campus-area emergency to a weekend already marked by repeated outbreaks of gunfire in places where large numbers of people had gathered for Halloween activities and college events.
Two Halloween store shootings add to the holiday toll
Two people were killed in separate shootings at Spirit Halloween stores on Friday, according to police in California and Michigan.
In Fairfield, California, police said a 31-year-old woman died and six others were wounded in what investigators described as a targeted attack. Family members told authorities the woman was pregnant.
In Madison Heights, Michigan, police said a 21-year-old man was fatally shot during an altercation at another Spirit Halloween store. The two store shootings broadened the weekend’s toll beyond nightlife districts and campuses.
Officials across several states keep investigating the weekend violence
Across the incidents, police and local officials released only limited details as investigations continued. In some cases they said arrests were made or a suspect was detained, while in others they reported no arrests at all.
Several shootings happened in places likely to draw crowds for Halloween celebrations, football games or late-night outings, heightening concern among local leaders and residents as the holiday weekend continued.
By Sunday, the overall picture was clear: a string of shootings in multiple states had left a significant death toll, many wounded people and investigators still working to piece together what happened in each case.
