A suspect in a bar shooting early Monday morning was shot and killed by police after driving toward police officers, a Hayward police lieutenant said.

Hayward police Lt. Roger Keener said officers responded just before 1 a.m. to a report of a shooting at the Dirty Bird bar at 29308 Tennyson Road.

Officers learned that the suspect in the shooting had fled the bar and was said to be driving a dark-colored Buick or Cadillac.

Police searched the area and located a suspect vehicle matching that description on Tennyson Road west of Mission Boulevard.

After attempting to initiate contact with the driver, the suspect apparently reversed his car toward the police officers. Fearing for their safety, the officers shot the driver, killing him. “We knew a shooting has occurred so the person in the vehicle was already responsible for shooting one person,” Kenner said. “Then he drove his vehicle toward the police officers. His actions indicated he needed to be spot. Clearly he was a danger to the community.”

No officers were injured.

After an initial investigation into the bar shooting, police believe the suspect was involved in a confrontation at the Dirty Bird in which at least one patron was shot, police said. That victim suffered a non-life-threatening gunshot wound and has been treated at a hospital and released. The suspect killed by police gunfire has not been identified. The three officers involved in the shooting have been placed on routine administrative leave pending an investigation.