HAYWARD -- Police spent several hours searching a Hayward neighborhood for an armed suspect after a brief pursuit that ended with an officer firing his weapon at the suspect, investigators say.

The officer was unhurt and the unidentified suspect was not found. Police said the suspect, who is believed to be in his late teens or early 20s, was most likely not injured because he was able to run away. He was believed to be the only suspect in the incident, police added.

The incident started shortly after 2 p.m., when a BART train operator reported seeing someone possibly armed with a gun, according to Hayward police Lt. Mark Stuart. As police searched the area, a Hayward police officer saw a person matching the description a short time later near the intersection of Winton Avenue and Clarendale Street.

The officer followed the suspect into the parking lot of the Hayward office of the DMV office at 150 Jackson St., Stuart said. The suspect ran toward a fence bordering the parking lot and hopped over, and the officer jumped out of his car and ran after him, ordering him to stop.

As the officer approached the 6-foot stone fence, Stuart said, he peered over and saw the suspect turning toward him, with the gun in his hand. The officer drew his gun and fired at least one round, but the suspect ran away.

Police, sheriff's deputies and California Highway Patrol officers swarmed the area to help in the search Wednesday afternoon. Police cordoned off a block of Magna Avenue and searched the area until about 7 p.m. Wednesday evening, according to Hayward police Sgt. Eric Krimm.


Department of Motor Vehicles spokesman Armando Botello said the Hayward office was closed for the rest of the day immediately after the incident occurred. The office is scheduled to reopen at its normal time, 8 a.m., on Thursday.

Contact Natalie Neysa Alund at nalund@bayareanewsgroup.com. Contact Katie Nelson at knelson@bayareanewsgroup.com.