On October 30 a shooting at a Halloween store in Fairfield, California, killed a 31-year-old pregnant mother of four and wounded six other people. Police said the 17-year-old suspect had been convicted in connection with a shooting near a high school the previous year, spent a few months in juvenile detention, and was then released on probation. Fairfield Police Chief Dan Marshall said the state lacks sufficient accountability for youth after this attack and a homicide at a Fairfield High School graduation, and he urged legislative change to strengthen that accountability instead of additional restrictions on lawful gun owners. The incident occurred days before the 2026 midterm elections as California already imposes extensive firearm prohibitions.