Halloween weekend turned deadly across several American cities as separate shootings struck entertainment districts, college communities and areas packed with people attending holiday events.
At least six people were killed and dozens more were injured in the group of incidents reviewed by the Associated Press, with violence reported in Dallas, Birmingham, Newark, Bloomington and Fayetteville. Authorities have not said the incidents were part of any coordinated pattern, and investigators in several cities were still working Monday to determine exactly what happened.
The weekend’s violence was not one single event. It was a series of apparently unrelated outbreaks occurring within hours of one another — and in several cases in areas where authorities were already expecting large Halloween crowds.
For more major stories developing across the country, see our latest U.S. coverage.
Dallas Sees the Deadliest Night
The most serious outbreak occurred in Deep Ellum, Dallas’ busy nightlife and entertainment district.
Four people were killed and at least 15 others injured in three shootings that unfolded during the early hours of Sunday. Police said the incidents occurred within roughly 75 minutes of one another.
Dallas Police Chief Daniel Comeaux said investigators initially had no information showing that the three shootings were connected. Detectives were continuing to piece together what happened at each scene. At least one suspect had been taken into custody, while authorities were also looking for another person in connection with the investigation.
What makes the Dallas violence particularly striking is that police were not caught completely unprepared for crowds.
Extra officers had already been assigned to Deep Ellum because officials anticipated a busy Halloween night. Officers were close enough to respond rapidly when the violence began, according to local reporting.
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson called the violence unacceptable and said public safety must remain a priority as the city considers how to keep Deep Ellum safe as a major gathering place.
Birmingham Violence Follows Major Football Event
Hundreds of miles away, Birmingham, Alabama, was dealing with another deadly scene after the Magic City Classic, the annual rivalry game between Alabama A&M and Alabama State.
One person was killed and eight others were injured in two separate shootings near Legion Field after the game. Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said the first incident occurred outside the stadium perimeter and tailgate area. A second occurred minutes later across the street near food vendors.
Nearly 70,000 people had attended the football game, although Birmingham Police Chief Michael Pickett said most spectators and families had already left the stadium property by the time the violence occurred.
That distinction matters. Officials have not described the shootings as an attack on the game itself, and Woodfin specifically said the violence did not occur because of the Magic City Classic.
The shooting nevertheless transformed what had been one of Birmingham’s biggest annual events into another major public-safety investigation.
Readers following other major breaking stories from the weekend can also see our coverage of the deadly Florida jet crash.
College Communities Hit in Several States
The violence stretched beyond Texas and Alabama.
In Newark, Delaware, six people were shot late Saturday near the University of Delaware campus. All six were taken to hospitals as police investigated.
In Fayetteville, Arkansas, six people were hospitalized following another shooting near the University of Arkansas. Police said their preliminary investigation indicated an altercation happened before the shooting.
And in Bloomington, Illinois, a 19-year-old woman was killed in an incident near Illinois Wesleyan University. Another woman was reported in critical condition, while several additional people suffered injuries that authorities said were not life-threatening.
There is currently no evidence establishing a connection between these incidents.
That is important because a national roundup can make separate local crimes appear like one coordinated wave when the available evidence says otherwise.
The National Toll May Be Higher
Even the headline number requires some context.
The Associated Press roundup reported at least six deaths and dozens of injuries across the major nightlife and college-area shootings it examined. It also reported two separate fatal shootings Friday at Spirit Halloween stores in California and Michigan.
A broader preliminary count published by CNN on Monday put the Halloween weekend toll at at least 13 people dead and 92 injured when additional shootings around the country were included. Different totals reflect which incidents, locations and time periods are included in each roundup.
In other words, the six-death figure should not be mistaken for a final count of every shooting nationwide during Halloween weekend.
For continued developments on major crime, investigations and breaking events, visit The Untold Report’s U.S. section.
Investigators Still Have Major Questions
The immediate focus now shifts from the shocking weekend numbers to individual investigations. AP
Dallas detectives must determine what triggered three shootings within such a short period and whether there was any connection between them. Birmingham authorities are investigating two separate scenes near Legion Field. Police in Delaware, Arkansas and Illinois are conducting their own investigations.
The common thread is not evidence of some single nationwide plot.
It is that several American communities entered Halloween weekend expecting football games, parties and crowded entertainment districts — and emerged with families grieving, people hospitalized and police departments trying to explain how separate nights of celebration turned violent so quickly.
