A 17-year-old accused of killing a pregnant woman and wounding six others inside a Spirit Halloween store in the Bay Area faces numerous serious charges as prosecutors seek to move his case to adult court.
Monte Smith was arrested Monday in connection with the Oct. 30 shooting at the Solano Town Center mall in Fairfield. The attack killed 31-year-old Constance Hages and injured six other people.
The Solano County District Attorney’s Office charged Smith with two counts of murder involving a multiple-murder special circumstance, three counts of attempted murder, three counts of assault with a semi-automatic weapon and multiple gun enhancements.
He also faces an additional charge tied to a prior violent-offense conviction, which is classified as a strike under California law.
“The law guiding the prosecution of minors has shifted substantially over the last 30 years,” the District Attorney’s Office said.
Prosecutors now want Smith to stand trial as an adult and are seeking to keep him in custody.
The DA’s office filed a petition asking the court to transfer Smith from juvenile court to adult criminal court.
Prosecutors are expected to argue that he should remain detained because of the alleged crimes’ severity, his criminal history and the potential threat to public safety.
Smith is scheduled to appear in Juvenile Court on Wednesday for an arraignment and detention hearing.
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Police said Smith entered the Spirit Halloween store and opened fire on a customer he allegedly intended to target after an earlier altercation.
Six other people were also hit by the gunfire.
The victims were between 16 and 43 years old. Four remained hospitalized, including a 19-year-old man who was in critical condition.
A 16-year-old boy, a 32-year-old man and a 23-year-old man were reported to be in stable condition. Two additional victims, ages 19 and 43, were treated and released.
Witnesses described scenes of panic and confusion inside the store when the first shots were fired.
A 15-year-old girl who was waiting in the checkout line with her sister recorded cellphone video from the floor as shoppers rushed to find cover.
Fairfield police said the accused gunman had already spent several months in juvenile hall in connection with a separate shooting at a high school parking lot in 2025.
Under California law, prosecutors seeking to try a 17-year-old as an adult must persuade a judge that the defendant cannot be rehabilitated through juvenile court supervision.
The DA’s office has submitted the required transfer petition.
