Hayward was the scene of an officer-involved shooting yesterday after a suspect allegedly opened fire on police officers, marking the city’s first such incident this year, according to an official report from the Hayward Police Department.
The situation began around 4:12 PM when officers responded to a witness call on the 29000 block of Mission Boulevard. Upon arrival, they encountered 40-year-old Jaime Mejia Lopez, an unhoused local resident, who reportedly fired at the officers before they had exited their vehicles. Police stated that Lopez took cover behind a parked car and aimed a pistol at them, prompting an exchange of gunfire. No officers were injured, and the suspect sustained only a minor thumb injury, according to the City of Hayward.
Lopez was medically evaluated and later booked into jail on multiple charges, including three counts of attempted murder and illegal firearm possession. According to police, the investigation remains active. It is being conducted by the department’s Internal Affairs Unit, which reviews officer conduct, and the Homicide/Major Assaults Unit, which handles criminal investigations. The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office is also overseeing the case.
