Teen suspect in Fairfield Spirit Halloween shooting faces 2nd murder charge for unborn child's death
FAIRFIELD, Calif. (KGO) -- The 17-year-old suspect accused of killing a pregnant woman at a Spirit Halloween store in Fairfield, along with shooting six others, will face a second murder charge for the unborn baby who died.
There is now also a fight to try this teen in adult court because of his criminal past.
Wednesday, the prosecutors in this case said that the teen suspect was with a girl and armed with a semi-automatic gun when he walked into the Spirit Halloween store. They say he spotted someone he knew in line at the register and at one point opened fire.
MORE: 17-year-old boy arrested in Fairfield Halloween store shooting that killed pregnant woman, injured 6
The teen murder suspect faced a judge in juvenile court Wednesday as the Solano County District Attorney says her office has filed a petition to try this teen in adult court.
"The difference between adult court and juvenile court for this individual means the potential for a life sentence versus getting out when he's 25 years old." legal analyst Steven Clark said.
Clark says only a judge in the juvenile court can approve that transfer, and it could take months.
During court it was revealed that the victim, 31-year-old Constance Hages, was 13 weeks pregnant. This means the pregnancy had progressed beyond the embryonic stage, which will allow prosecutors to pursue a second murder charge.
MORE: Terrifying moments inside Fairfield Spirit Halloween during shooting that killed pregnant mom
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"And for a 17-year-old to shoot a pregnant lady, that's unacceptable. The laws need to be, you know, tougher. The laws need to be stiffer for young adults and young people that's using guns, they need to understand that this is a serious offense," says Shawn M. Richard of Brothers Against Guns.
Richard's group works with juveniles who are locked up across the Bay Area. He's aware that the suspect in this Spirit Halloween case also served time last year for shooting into a car with people in it in a Fairfield High School parking lot. Richard says their work is to help teens so that something like this doesn't happen.
"That's just unacceptable, and I can't sympathize for the young man, I can't. I can't at all, because he should have known better," said Richard.
Clark said transferring the case to adult court could be challenging but noted strong public interest in the outcome.
"So, it's going to be difficult for the prosecution, but at the same time, I think it is the type of case that the public is saying, enough is enough," Clark said.
Because of the suspect's prior crimes and the severity of the shooting, Clark said he believes the case is likely to be transferred to adult court, though multiple evaluations must be completed before a judge can make that decision.
