About 4:10 pm on Tuesday, a man driving a blueish green, silver car pointed what may have been a gun at a group of children playing outside at Grandma Too’s Daycare at the corner of Minnesota and Fifth Street in Hayward.
A group of eight young children immediately advised daycare staff which moved the kids inside the building, called police and locked the doors.
Police Chief Joel Clapero issued a press release stating that officers attempted to locate vehicles matching the description and assisted with keeping the daycare locked down and performing patrol in the area.
“All the children gave a very similar description of the event,” Clapero said. The man was driving east bound on Fifth Street and leaned toward the passenger window and pointed a silver object at the children that they felt was a firearm.
Laura Kreyer of Grandma Too’s Daycare said the children were all very upset. She said the kids were also the older group of children.
“The City of Hayward Police will be around the daycares and schools in the city performing extra patrol during drop off and pick up times and at times children are outside the buildings during the next few days,” Clapero said in the press release.
Kreyer added that the daycare was keeping the children inside during play times until recommended otherwise by the city police. She said they are keeping the doors locked as well.
Grandma’s Too also serves as one of two PreK schools in Hayward through the Hayward School District. The daycare operates a morning class from 8 am to 11 am and a second class from Noon to 3 pm. The 3 pm class was dismissed only one hour before the possible man with a gun complaint was made.
“We’re giving the parents the letter from the city police department to let them know about the extra patrol,” Kreyer said.
The incident remains under investigation and the Hayward Police Department is asking for help in attempting to locate the unknown male suspect as officers were unable to get detailed information on the suspect or vehicle as the witnesses were very young, Clapero said.
“All complaints involving possible threats to children are taken very seriously and investigated completely,” Clapero said.
Last Update: Oct 26, 2016 10:42 am CDT
