Big Island Police Shoot And Kill Man In Kailua-Kona
No body camera footage exists because the plainclothes officers involved weren’t wearing cameras.
Officers shot and killed a man in Kailua-Kona on Friday in the course of investigating a shooting from earlier in the week, according to a press release from Hawaii police.
Police identified the man as 32-year-old Kainoa Kahele-Bishop of Kailua-Kona.
There is no body camera footage of the incident because the plainclothes vice detectives involved do not wear cameras, the department said.
The shooting occurred during an operation to find another suspect, Ronald Kahihikolo, in a domestic dispute on Tuesday morning.
On Friday morning, officers learned that Kahihikolo was with people who had two stolen cars, including a silver Chevy Malibu, the press release said. Police later stopped the vehicle at the intersection of Kamakaeha Avenue and Palani Road.
“When officers approached the vehicle, we were under the impression that the vehicle he was driving was stolen, and I can’t even tell you at this point if it was or it wasn’t,” Hawaii County Police Chief Benjamin Moszkowicz told reporters Friday night.
The man driving the car reached for something, at which point the two vice detectives, 鈥渇earing for their safety,鈥 shot him, the release said.
The driver accelerated across Palani Road and down an embankment, according to police. Police found the man injured and started 鈥渓ife-saving measures,鈥 but 鈥渦nfortunately he died at the scene,鈥 police said.
A passenger in the Malibu, Jacqueline Keanaaina, sustained minor injuries, was treated by Hawaii Fire Department medics and arrested for an outstanding warrant.
Police searched the car and said they found a loaded sawed-off shotgun, an unloaded rifle, more than 25 rounds of ammunition, and eight credit cards that didn’t belong to either occupant of the vehicle.
Two detectives, one with 13 years and the other with 25 years of experience, have been placed on administrative leave subject to an internal investigation, the department said.
Second Police Killing On Hawaii This Year
One other person died at the hands of Hawaii island police since the start of the year.
On Jan. 2, Hawaii police used a Taser on 38-year-old Christopher Alan Ferreira. Three officers and found Ferreira holding a large kitchen knife and a police-style baton, according to a police press release. They used the Taser on him after he refused to drop his weapons. Ferreira died that night at Hilo Medical Center.
Hawaii police didn鈥檛 report killing anyone in 2022. That year, who appeared to be holding a weapon, and Honolulu police killed a man during a barricade situation in Waikiki.
In 2021, two men died at the hands of police in Hilo just days apart. Police shot and killed 34-year-old Ryan Santos after he shot at them June 13. On June 17 that year, two officers responded to an alleged break-in, then shot and killed 31-year-old Daniel Buckingham after he sliced one of them with a knife, police said.
Police across the state killed a total of four other people.
In 2020, Hawaii island police again did not report killing anyone, while Honolulu police shot and killed two people and another man died after police restrained him. One man died in the hospital after a struggle with Maui police that year.
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Note: This story has been updated since first published to include information on the identity of the deceased man.
