July 4th violence: 2 dead, 12 injured in separate incidents in Hayward, police say

HAYWARD, Calif. (KGO) -- Acting Hayward Police Chief Bryan Matthews says his city faced an "unprecedented" amount of violence on the Fourth of July.

In a statement released Wednesday afternoon, police say a total of 11 people were shot, including one fatality, in several unrelated incidents. And at Tennyson Road, one person was fatally stabbed.

According the Hayward PD, so far two suspects are in custody.

"It was pretty tragic out here last night," says Eddie Simon. He lives on Ranker Place, where six adults were injured in a shooting.

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He says there were upwards of 60 people out celebrating in different groups on the street all night. He was celebrating his birthday with family and grandkids. Once the shooting started amongst one of the groups, he says everyone ran for cover.

"Everybody is having a good time. About 9:30 p.m., fireworks shooting off. After that, bullets start flying. Lot of people running. Dodging. I grabbed my grandkids, made sure everybody got in the house safe," says Simon.

Hayward police say an argument tuned into a gun fight. Of the six injured, police say one of the men was identified as a possible shooting suspect. Adding, there could be more suspects to this incident.

"We just want the community to know we are going to do everything we can, we are committed to safety in Hayward," says Officer Cassondra Fovel with the Hayward Police Department.

All six people were taken to the hospital. Two of them are in critical condition, police said.

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Among the dozens of suspected fireworks-related incidents in the East Bay, a man severely damaged his hand, a teenager was injured, a house was burned down, and a 3-acre fire that got close to homes was started.

"It's sad, man. We have to see things like this. And when you have your grandkids, you know, they come to celebrate with you. And then that have to run, scream. Now I got four of my grandkids traumatized," explains Simon.

Hayward Police say they responded to five separate incidents. Along with the shooting at Ranker Place and the stabbing on Tennyson Road, police say three people were shot and two hit by a vehicle in sideshow-related incident near Miami Avenue. One of the shooting victims died in the hospital. The four others are in stable condition according to the police.

Simon says he doesn't know any of the people shot on his street. And doesn't believe any of them are residents. He is just hopes they all survive.

"I am just glad that nobody died. That was the main thing, that nobody got killed," says Simon. "It's not safe no more. That's why I don't go to big events no more, you know what I'm saying. Big events are very dangerous now."

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