Hayward police make arrest after exchanging gunfire with suspect

By Tim Fang

A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following a shootout involving Hayward police officers Wednesday afternoon.

Hayward police have arrested a man on multiple charges, including attempted murder, after being involved in a shootout with a suspect Wednesday afternoon.

Around 4:10 p.m., officers were called to the 29000 block of Mission Boulevard after a witness reported a man armed with a handgun. Officers went to the scene and found a suspect who matched the description.

According to police, the suspect crouched behind a parked car and pointed a pistol at the officers, before the officers could exit their vehicles.

Police said “an exchange of gunfire” took place between three officers and the suspect. No one was struck by the gunfire.

Officers were able to take the suspect into custody. The suspect sustained a minor injury to this thumb and was medically cleared being booked into jail.

Police identified the suspect as 40-year-old Jaime Mejia Lopez, an unhoused Hayward resident. Lopez was booked into the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin on three counts of attempted murder and unlawful possession of a firearm.

According to jail records, Lopez is being held without bail. An arraignment is scheduled for Friday.

In a statement, police said the department’s Internal Affairs Unit is conducting an administrative investigation to determine if the officers complied with department policies, while the Homicide/Major Assaults unit is conducting a criminal investigation into the incident. Police said the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office has been notified.

“The Hayward Police Department will not draw any conclusions about whether the officers acted consistently with policy and the law until all facts are known,” police said.

Anyone with additional information about the case is asked to contact Detective Scinto of Hayward police at 510-296-7176.