Over 200 injured, at least 75 killed by gunfire in US over Halloween weekend

WASHINGTON - More than 200 people sustained gunshot wounds in the United States over the Halloween weekend, with at least 76 fatalities, according to data from analysts, while local law enforcement officials informed RIA Novosti that several holiday-themed parties had ended with mass hospitalisations.

In 2026, October 31 - All Hallows' Eve - fell on a Saturday, a relatively rare occurrence, it last happened in 2020, and the next time will be in 2037. The holiday is celebrated extensively in the United States featuring city-wide parades and large-scale costume events.

According to analysts and media reports, the string of incidents began on Friday morning in Tennessee, where a teenager brought a handgun to a high school. No one was killed, and the teen now faces charges for illegal weapons possession.

In a southern neighborhood of Chicago, a 35-year-old man was shot and killed during an argument, footage from the scene shows a private home decorated for Halloween.

In a small town in Missouri, a dispute at a house party escalated into a shooting, in which a 22-year-old wounded an 18-year-old. The list of incidents also includes cases involving the use of firearms during episodes of domestic violence.

The police department in Fairfield, California, told RIA Novosti that a shooting had taken place at a local shopping mall, near a store selling Halloween costumes. Six people, ranging in age from 16 to 43, were injured, and a 31-year-old pregnant woman was killed, law enforcement officials said.

The sheriff's office in Eureka, Montana, told RIA Novosti that a deputy sheriff had been killed in a shootout on Friday evening. Officers responded to a call when an assailant opened fire; another officer was also wounded.

In Alabama, two people were killed during a shooting at an apartment complex.

Four people were hospitalised on Saturday morning in Kansas, the Wichita Police Department told RIA Novosti. One of the victims was struck in the face by a stray bullet.

Overnight into Sunday, a shooting occurred near the University of Delaware campus, leaving six people wounded. In Dallas, Texas, four people were shot and killed and 15 others were wounded overnight; police reported three separate, unrelated incidents. In another Texas city, seven people were hospitalised with gunshot wounds sustained at a birthday party. In Florida, a 20-year-old was killed and nine others, including a 15-year-old girl, were wounded at a party, according to the Jacksonville police. In Illinois, a 19-year-old was killed and eight others were wounded.

In total, according to analysts, 201 people have been wounded and 76 have been killed in firearm-related incidents across the United States since Friday. - BERNAMA