Monte Smith, 17, was ordered held without bail Wednesday as prosecutors painted a grim picture of a targeted hunt through a crowded Halloween store.
The teen made his first court appearance in Fairfield, California, facing two murder counts after the Oct. 30 shooting rampage inside a Spirit Halloween at Solano Town Center mall. More than 100 shoppers, many of them families with children, had packed the store for last-minute costumes when gunfire erupted near the checkout line.
Solano County prosecutors described the attack as terrorism, alleging Smith had entered the mall with an underage girl before spotting a man he’d previously clashed with. That man was shopping with family members and had paused to chat with acquaintances inside the store, according to prosecutors. Smith allegedly followed him inside, pulled a semiautomatic handgun, and opened fire as terrified families waited in line.
The barrage struck seven people. Among them was 31-year-old Constance Hages, an innocent bystander authorities said was caught in the crossfire. Prosecutors revealed Wednesday that Hages was 13 weeks pregnant, prompting them to file a second murder charge tied to the death of her unborn child.
Six other victims suffered gunshot wounds: a 16-year-old boy and five men ranging from 19 to 43 years old. Four remained hospitalized as of Wednesday, while two others had already been released.
The wounded included Smith’s alleged intended target, who had drawn the teen’s pursuit into the store packed with parents shielding their children from the chaos.
Smith’s criminal history emerged as another flashpoint during the hearing. Authorities disclosed he was already on probation for a prior shooting, having fired into a vehicle occupied by other teenagers in the parking lot of Fairfield High School in 2025. He spent several months in juvenile detention before release, and prosecutors noted the system had attempted rehabilitation.
That history now shapes the fight over where Smith will be tried. The Solano County District Attorney’s Office is pushing to have him prosecuted as an adult, but Proposition 57 — approved by California voters in 2016 — removed prosecutors’ ability to automatically file juvenile cases in adult court. A judge must instead find clear and convincing evidence that a minor cannot be rehabilitated within the juvenile system before approving any transfer.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Bruce Flynn indicated the decision on adult prosecution could take several weeks.
During Wednesday’s proceedings, Smith’s alternate public defender requested home placement, but the judge rejected it and ordered him to remain in juvenile detention without bail. His arraignment was postponed until Nov. 13 to allow his defense attorney time to review police reports and surveillance footage. Investigators have gathered 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.
The charges stack high: two counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder, three counts of assault with a semiautomatic weapon, multiple firearm enhancements, a special-circumstance allegation involving multiple murders, and a strike allegation tied to his prior violent-offense conviction.
District Attorney Krishna Abrams’ office pressed to keep Smith detained, citing the severity of the alleged crimes, his record, and public safety concerns.
The case traces back to Oct. 30, when what should have been routine Halloween shopping turned deadly at the Fairfield mall. Over 100 people had filled the Spirit Halloween for last-minute costumes. Smith allegedly entered with an underage companion, spotted his previous acquaintance among the shoppers, and pursued him through aisles crowded with families before unleashing gunfire near the checkout line where parents stood with children.
Smith is scheduled to return to Solano County Juvenile Court on Nov. 13 at 9 a.m.