US: At least 24 killed, 94 injured in wave of shootings across over Halloween weekend

At least 24 people were killed and 94 injured in a series of shootings across the United States over Halloween weekend, according to a New York Times tally, as gun violence disrupted celebrations and gatherings in several states.

The shootings stretched from California to Delaware, with incidents reported at party venues, shopping centres, nightlife districts and near university campuses. A preliminary CNN estimate had put the toll at at least 13 dead and 92 injured, reflecting the difficulty of compiling figures across multiple incidents.

In Dallas, three shootings in the Deep Ellum neighbourhood within about 75 minutes left at least four people dead and 15 injured. In Birmingham, Alabama, gunfire near Legion Field after the annual Magic City Classic killed one person and wounded eight others.

In Fairfield, California, a shooting at a Spirit Halloween store on Friday night killed a 31-year-old pregnant woman and injured six others, three critically. The shopping centre subsequently cancelled a planned trick-or-treating event.

Delaware reported two mass shootings within just over an hour on Saturday night. Nine people were shot at an outdoor party in Ellendale, including a 17-year-old girl who later died. At around 11.13 pm, six people were wounded in a shooting on Main Street near the University of Delaware in Newark.

“This is not normal,” Delaware governor Matt Meyer said, urging residents not to accept gun violence as part of everyday life.

Shootings at parties and public gatherings

In Flint, Michigan, a woman was killed and three others were injured in a shooting at a party shortly after midnight on Saturday. In Wichita, Kansas, four people were shot at an after-party, including a man who was struck in the face by a stray bullet while looking out of his window.

In Birmingham, a 17-year-old who was not affiliated with either university involved in the Magic City Classic was taken into custody. Mayor Randall Woodfin said the teenager had a firearm fitted with a Glock conversion switch.

In Jackson, Mississippi, two people were killed and four injured in a shooting at a nightclub hosting a costume party early Sunday. Police said two masked men entered the club and at least one opened fire on the dance floor.

Jacksonville, Florida, witnessed two separate shootings at Halloween parties, leaving two people dead and 11 injured. A 17-year-old girl was killed while waiting in line for a party, while a 20-year-old man died in a shooting at a house party more than two hours later. Police said both incidents followed fights that escalated into gunfire.

Violence near university campuses

In Bloomington, Illinois, a 19-year-old woman was killed and seven others injured in a shooting on a residential street near Illinois Wesleyan University early Sunday. One of the injured women was in critical condition.

In Bloomington, Indiana, seven people aged between 17 and 27 were injured when gunfire broke out near a large crowd downtown. Police detained a person who fled with a firearm but said they had not established whether that individual had fired it.

Seven people were also wounded at a Halloween birthday party near Edinburg, Texas, while six people were shot in Fayetteville, Arkansas. All the injured in these two incidents were reported to have non-life-threatening injuries.

The violence also affected children. In Detroit, a five-year-old girl was shot in the chest while playing in the back room of her home after trick-or-treating. She was in a stable condition.

The shootings came just over two weeks after a gunman killed three students and a teacher in a special-needs classroom at an elementary school in Oregon.

An analysis of FBI incident data from Boston between 2005 and 2009, cited by the New York Times, ranked 31 October as the third most violent day of the year, behind 4 July and 1 January. Criminologist James Alan Fox, who conducted the analysis, said Halloween was the most dangerous day of the year for minors.

Experts have cited large gatherings, alcohol consumption, drug use and access to firearms as factors that can heighten the risk of violence. Preventing shootings across public spaces, bars and private parties, however, remains a challenge.