Slain Hayward student was ‘success story’

A 17-year-old boy who had recently graduated from Mt. Eden High School in Hayward and was fatally shot in a confrontation early Tuesday morning was one of Hayward Unified School District’s success stories, the school board president said Wednesday.

School board president John Taylor said Kionta Murphy competed on his school’s wrestling and football teams, participated in a career preparation program called the Eden Area Regional Occupational Program and was planning to join the U.S. Marine Corps.

Taylor said Murphy “was a good kid who was motivated.” Hayward police said Murphy was out walking with a friend, a 17-year-old girl, in the area of Arf Avenue and Morningside Drive at about 1 a.m. Tuesday when they were confronted by three Hispanic male teens.

After a brief exchange, one of the three suspects shot Murphy, who died at the scene a short time later. His friend was uninjured, according to police Sgt. Ruben Pola.

Police described the suspects as three 17- or 18-year-old Hispanic males. The first stands 5 feet 7 inches tall and has short black hair, the second is 5-foot-9 or 5-foot-10 and weighs from 175 to 200 pounds and the third is about 5-foot-6 and weighs about 150 pounds, police said.

The suspects fled in a silver or gray SUV, police said.

Hayward police said anyone with information about the homicide should call them at (510) 293-7034.

Taylor said Murphy’s family is working on setting up a memorial service for him and the details might be released on Thursday.

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