HAYWARD — A 45-year-old East Bay man was killed here months ago in a shooting that police failed to announce at the time.
Circumstances around the Jan. 31 fatal shooting of Yosef Barca have been clouded by contradicting witness statements as well as a confession by a woman who drove up in a vehicle moments after police arrived and claimed she killed Barca in self-defense, authorities said. No charges have yet been filed in Barca’s shooting but it remains under investigation, court records show.
The killing was investigated by the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office. A spokeswoman for the sheriff said the office was inundated with numerous media requests the day after Barca was killed — regarding an unrelated lawsuit — and that it appeared that announcing Barca’s killing was simply overlooked.
Barca, a San Leandro resident, was shot and killed around 8:40 p.m. on Jan. 31, inside a home on Poplar Avenue in Hayward. Investigators with the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office showed up to investigate but had hardly begun processing the scene when a car pulled up containing two women, one of whom admitted to killing Barca, authorities said.
The woman had an active restraining order against Barca for alleged domestic violence, and claimed that he’d attacked her during an argument in the home, pulled a gun on her and that they’d struggled over the weapon when it discharged. The woman had obvious scratches and bruises that appeared fresh, authorities said.
But Barca’s injuries weren’t exactly consistent with a gun simply discharging during a fight. Police say he suffered approximately 10 gunshot wounds to the torso, arms, legs and groin. When police arrived he was still breathing, and said “I don’t know,” when asked who shot him, then went unconscious, authorities said.
Nearby residents reported to police that they heard gunshots, followed by a pause, followed by more gunshots, authorities said. But the second woman — the one who drove up in the same vehicle as the admitted shooter — reportedly told police she’d witnessed Barca grab the woman by the throat and punch her. She reportedly said that she’d stepped outside to call 911, and that’s when the shots were fired, meaning she didn’t witness exactly what transpired.
The woman’s restraining order against Barca contains accusations of prior violence, which Barca denied. It includes one incident where she claimed he attacked her and that she’d used a stun gun on him. He reportedly said, “that s— don’t work on me” and continued the assault, according to court records.
A GoFundMe page for Barca says his family has been “devastated” by the loss.
“He was a cherished son, a loving friend and a vibrant member of our community,” the page says. “He brought joy, laughter and kindness to all who knew him.”
