A 37-year-old resident met a tragic end on September 6, as an officer-involved shooting occurred in Hayward, California, near City Center Drive and Foothill Boulevard. The Hayward Police Department (HPD) released body camera footage from the incident. Independent and internal investigations, handled by the Alameda County District Attorney's Office and a third-party consultant respectively, are underway.
Officers responded that night to a call about a man, later identified as Antonio Lacunas-Escobar, brandishing what appeared to be a silver handgun near City Center Drive's 22000 block. The caller asserted that the man had threatened her and a friend with the weapon. The HPD press release reported that further witness consultation led police to a suspect matching their descriptions.
When approached by officers, Lacunas-Escobar allegedly turned and pointed what seemed to be his firearm, resulting in officers firing their service weapons in response and fatally wounding him. On-site medical aid was unable to save the man's life. Afterward, the presumed firearm was found to be a BB pistol.
The responding officers survived the incident uninjured. The actions of the concerned officers are being criminally investigated by the Alameda County District Attorney's Office. Alongside this investigation, an independent third-party consultant specializing in use-of-force cases evaluates the officers' adherence to HPD's policies, as stated in the HPD press release.
These investigations are to be reviewed by the California Department of Justice (DOJ) – Office of the Attorney General. With multiple investigations running in tandem, the facts behind the officers' actions will be uncovered.
Acting Chief Matthews from the HPD, in his statement following the incident, expressed his condolences to Lacunas-Escobar's family, and affirmed the department's commitment to transparency and impartial investigations. To maintain their promise, the HPD has released all relevant material including body camera footage to the public.
