On October 6, 2022, a jury found defendant Victor Casias guilty of attempted voluntary manslaughter.
On September 12, 2021, the victim saw his ex-girlfriend at a bar in Hayward. She left, only to return with her new boyfriend, the defendant. When the ex-girlfriend and the defendant walked outside, the victim followed them and shoved the defendant. The two began to fight. After bar employees broke up the fight, the defendant walked to his car to retrieve a semiautomatic pistol with an extended magazine. The defendant fired at least six shots, shooting first in the air before aiming at the victim. The victim was struck twice. He suffered a fractured femur and nearly died from blood loss. Two bar employees were also nearly struck, and at least one bullet struck the outside of the bar itself.
Before the shooting and before fleeing in a car rented by his girlfriend, the defendant and his girlfriend were observed looking for a cell phone near where the fight took place. Police recovered a cell phone but it had been wiped of all data. Using cell phone forensics and service provider records, the phone was linked to the defendant. Surveillance from inside the bar matched the defendant’s appearance. Jail calls between the defendant and his girlfriend contained several admissions of guilt.
The jury also found the defendant guilty of multiple counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, shooting at an occupied building, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Sentencing will be set on October 27 following a court trial on aggravating circumstances.
DDA Nathan Feldman prosecuted the case with help from Inspector Aida DuPree and Victim-Witness Advocate Celina Amezcua.