Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action Respond to Widespread Halloween Weekend Shootings Across U.S. Communities

WASHINGTON - Following a terrifying and deadly Halloween weekend marked by widespread gun violence across the country, Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety's grassroots networks, released statements responding to a devastating series of shootings over Halloween weekend that targeted young adults, teenagers, and families in at least nine states. Occurring at retail stores, street festivals, house parties, and college towns, the tragic events underscore a dangerous crisis of gun violence devastating local communities nationwide.

Over the course of the weekend, a devastating series of shootings disrupted communities across the country. Many of the incidents occurred on or near college campuses, at house parties, or during holiday gatherings-spaces where young people should have felt safe:

• Fairfield, CA: On Friday night, a shooting inside a Spirit Halloween store left one person dead and six others wounded. The deceased victim was pregnant.
• Newark, DE: On Saturday, a shooting along Main Street near the University of Delaware left six people injured, including three teenagers and a university student. A 16-year-old was subsequently arrested in connection with the incident.
• Ellendale, DE: A shooting left one teenager dead and eight others injured, roughly an hour before the shooting near the University of Delaware.
• Fayetteville, AR: Early Sunday, six people were hospitalized following a shooting near the University of Arkansas campus.
• Birmingham, AL: On Saturday night, a shooting following a college football game near Legion Field left at least one person dead and eight others injured.
• Bloomington, IL: On Sunday, one person was shot and killed, and another seven people were wounded near Illinois Wesleyan University.
• Bloomington, IN: Early Sunday morning, seven people were shot and wounded near the Indiana University campus.
• East Lansing, MI: A pair of shootings on Halloween night were reported near the Michigan State University campus.
• Jacksonville, FL: A shooting at a Westside house party resulted in ten people being shot, leaving one dead.
• Fort Collins, CO: A Colorado State University student was shot and killed, and another wounded, in a shooting at a house party.
• Spartanburg, SC: Two teenagers were shot and killed, and another person was wounded, in a shooting at a restaurant on Halloween.

"Our college campuses, house parties, and weekend hangouts have become ground zero for America's gun violence crisis," said Angela Ferrell-Zabala, Executive Director of Moms Demand Action. "No parent should send their young adult off to college only to spend the weekend praying they aren't the next ones dodging bullets. This terrifying Halloween weekend laid bare the horrifying toll of easy access to firearms. Gun violence is stealing the peace, safety, and futures of an entire generation, and lawmakers must act immediately to pass common-sense policies before another community is shattered."

"To be a young person or college student in America right now means constantly scanning the room for exits and wondering if your campus will be next," said Maria Payne, a volunteer with the University of Alabama group of Students Demand Action. "We should be worrying about our midterms, our futures, and enjoying time with friends-not dodging bullets at house parties or football tailgates. This terrifying weekend is yet another wake-up call. We are angry, we are heartbroken, but above all, we are determined to hold politicians accountable until they treat gun violence like the public health crisis it is."

A recent report released by the Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund found that gun violence on college and university campuses has increased over the past decade. Analyzing 389 shootings across more than 260 higher education campuses between August 2016 and July 2026, the report shows that campus shootings grew by an average of 20 percent year-over-year. October emerged as the single most dangerous month for campus gun violence - recording more than double the monthly average of shootings, with nearly half occurring during homecoming weeks.