On June 13, 2022, Robert Lee Saffold Jr., aged 34, was found unresponsive with a gunshot wound near the 27000 block of Whitman Street in Hayward, California. Emergency medical personnel pronounced him dead at the scene. The Hayward Police Department responded to the incident around 8:30 AM after receiving a report of an assault with a deadly weapon. The suspect, identified as 38-year-old Steven Velasquez, was located and taken into custody at the scene.
Velasquez was charged with homicide by the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office and remains in custody. The motive and circumstances surrounding the incident are still under investigation.
The incident occurred in the backyard of a residence where multiple people were present. According to court records, Velasquez allegedly claimed that the shooting was accidental. However, a home security camera captured the shooting and its aftermath, showing that Velasquez attempted to stage the crime scene to make it appear as though Saffold had shot himself. The video evidence revealed that Velasquez and Saffold were arguing before Velasquez lifted the handgun and shot Saffold. After Saffold fell to the ground, Velasquez was seen attempting to place the gun in Saffold’s hand but stopped. During a subsequent interview with investigators, Velasquez admitted to shooting Saffold but stated that he did not mean to do so, adding that Saffold had previously threatened to kill him.
This case marks Hayward’s fourth homicide of 2022. In addition to the murder charge, Velasquez is also being charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The investigation is ongoing, and the police have urged anyone with information related to the homicide to come forward. The proximity of the shooting to Tennyson High School prompted a temporary lockdown, which was lifted after it was determined that there was no longer a threat to the community. The community has been thanked for their patience as the investigation continues.
