The latest in a run of violent attacks targeting young people, Hayward police are looking into a gunshot that claimed the life of an adolescent girl on Sunday morning in the Harder-Tennyson area.
Officers were called to a shooting scene on the 900 block of West Tennyson Road at approximately 11:15 a.m. According to authorities, they discovered a 16-year-old girl suffering from gunshot wounds when they arrived at the scene.
Because of the severity of her injuries, she was taken to a nearby hospital and eventually declared dead. Another shooting victim was discovered close to the 28000 block of Ruus Road, according to the police.
The victim, a 41-year-old resident of Hayward, was taken to a nearby hospital and treated for injuries that were not life-threatening. It was improbable that the victims were acquainted, according to the investigators. With the teen’s passing, the city has seen eight homicides so far this year, and four in July.
Every time he receives a call informing him that there has been a killing in the city, according to Mayor Mark Salinas, he is horrified. It hurts much more to learn that the victim was just 16 years old.
“When something like this happens I take it very personal,” Salinas stated. “Nobody likes to see children die at the end of a gun.”
Bryan Matthews, the chief of police, said they’re still investigating her role in the event.
“We don’t know if this teenager was an intended target. What we do know, based on evidence that we’ve recovered, is it appears that there was a gunfire exchange between two separate parties,” Matthews stated. “Don’t know at this point if she was caught in the crossfires or if she was actually an intended victim.”
According to Matthews, there has been a rise in the number of juvenile offenders, and authorities are investigating the cause.
“We’re working with our regional law enforcement partners,” the chief stated. “The Sheriff and the county chiefs meet on a monthly basis, talk about crime trends. There are concerns involving crime, particularly violent crime right now in the county with juveniles. That is something we’re collectively trying to strategize around and address.”
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According to Salinas, he also works to keep children safe and out of trouble.
“What I have been doing is working with the president of Cal State East Bay, the president of Chabot College and our school superintendent. I have been working with them to develop ways to keep youth engaged in activities, especially during the summer that are substantive and enriching,” the mayor stated. “At the end of the day, it is our responsibility as adults to make sure every child in our city is safe and healthy and free of any violence.”
The victims’ identities have not yet been made public by the police. Call Hayward police at (510) 293-7176 with information regarding the shootings, mentioning case number 2024-41753.
