Gunfire broke out in nightlife areas across several American cities over the Halloween weekend, leaving six people dead and more than 12 injured, according to reports. Dallas was the worst hit, and police in multiple states are still trying to determine whether the attacks are connected.

The overall count reflects the initial tally, and the city-by-city figures in the sections below add up to a higher number of wounded. Police have arrested several people in connection with the incidents, but the motive behind the violence has not been established.

Dallas: four dead and 15 wounded in Deep Ellum

Dallas police said the heaviest violence came in the Deep Ellum neighbourhood, where four people were killed and 15 others were wounded in shootings. Deep Ellum is widely considered a hub for music, restaurants and nightlife, which made it a natural draw for crowds on a Saturday night during the holiday weekend.

Dallas Police Chief Daniel Komoks said officers were working to find out whether the Saturday night shootings were linked. According to him, there were three separate shooting incidents on Saturday, and investigators had not yet worked out why they happened.

’We are questioning everyone we have arrested. We are trying to determine how this connects to all the shootings here.’

That statement sums up where the investigation stands. Officers have taken people into custody, but no public answer has yet emerged on whether one person, one group or several unrelated individuals were responsible.

Birmingham: one killed outside Legion Field

In Birmingham, Alabama, a shooting took place right outside Legion Field, the stadium where the Magic City Classic football game had just been played. Police said one person was killed and eight others were wounded.

Birmingham Police Chief Michael Pickett said most spectators and families had already left the stadium by the time the gunfire started. The shots were fired along Gremont Avenue, where several shops are located. Police have not clarified the circumstances that led to the violence.

Police spokesperson D’Rel Freeman said one person has been detained and taken to police headquarters for questioning. Officers also recovered several firearms from the scene.

Newark: six hurt near the University of Delaware

In Newark, Delaware, gunfire erupted near the University of Delaware campus on Saturday. Six people were injured, and all of them were taken to hospitals. Videos shared on social media showed people running in different directions to escape the shooting.

Police closed a section of Main Street for several hours after the incident. The campus location of the shooting is likely to raise concerns among students and families, though police have not yet released a full account of how the violence unfolded.

Bloomington, Fayetteville and the Spirit Halloween shootings

Violence was not limited to the Saturday night hotspots. In Bloomington, Illinois, a shooting took place early Sunday morning that killed a 19-year-old woman. Another woman was seriously wounded, and six other people were also hurt, though their injuries were reported as less severe. Police have not said how those six people were injured.

In Fayetteville, Arkansas, six people were hurt in a shooting early Sunday morning. No arrests have been made so far. Preliminary findings suggest there was an argument before the gunfire started, according to police.

Earlier in the weekend, on Friday, two separate shootings at Spirit Halloween stores left two people dead. In Fairfield, California, a shooting inside a store located in an indoor shopping mall killed a 31-year-old woman and wounded six others. Police described it as a targeted attack. A second shooting at a Spirit Halloween store in Michigan also resulted in a death.

What police still do not know

The most urgent question is whether these shootings are linked. Dallas police have said they are checking that possibility, but no official confirmation has been given. Police in other cities are also working through their own cases, and the answers may vary from place to place.

The motive remains the largest gap in the public record. Police have not said why the shootings occurred, and the investigation has not yet explained the conditions that led to the violence in each location. Authorities have recovered weapons and made arrests, but questioning is still underway.

For residents in cities that normally draw large crowds during Halloween weekend, the sequence of incidents has been a sharp reminder of how quickly a night out can turn into a crime scene. Families who went out for festivities, sports and nightlife now face the wait for official answers. Police have not announced when further updates will be issued.

The coming days will likely show whether investigators can connect the Dallas, Birmingham, Newark, Bloomington, Fayetteville and Spirit Halloween cases, or whether they remain separate incidents that happened to cluster across one holiday weekend. Until then, the death toll and the list of wounded are the only firm facts on record.