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Court papers: Kidnapping suspect threatened to shoot teen

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A 19-year-old woman says a 22-year-old man, who was already awaiting trial for allegedly assaulting a city bus driver in January, threatened to shoot a teenage boy he held hostage last week unless she drove him out of Kalihi, according to court documents.

Sunia Faaofonuu has been charged with two counts of first-degree terroristic threatening, kidnapping, first-degree theft, second-degree assault, extortion using a firearm and three firearms violations. His bail was set at $150,000.

Police said Faaofonuu, armed with a silver and black Ruger semi-automatic pistol, approached a 16-year-old boy at a house on Kealoha Place just before 3 p.m. on Feb. 11.

While holding a handgun pointed at the teen, Faaofonuu asked Aileen Baay if she owned the car that was parked outside of a nearby house.

According to a police affidavit filed in District Court earlier this week, Faaofonuu then told Baay: “You can take me out of Kalihi or I going to shoot him right now.”

Fearing for her life, Baay told police she closed the door and called authorities.

Faaofonuu then grabbed the teen and ordered him to climb the fence from Kealoha Place to Kalihi Waena Elementary School.

The two walked towards Kuhio Park Terrace and approached another man with a van. The suspect pointed the hand gun at the van’s driver and released the teen, police said. The suspect then fled to Kalama Road by climbing a fence, police said.

Officers arrested Faaofonuu shortly afterward on Kamehameha IV Road.

A witness told police that Faaofonuu approached him in the driveway of a Kamehameha IV Road home, offering him the handgun if he gave the suspect a ride to Salt Lake.

When officers arrived, Faaofonuu hid the handgun, wrapped in a black cloth, in the engine compartment of a nearby parked car, where police found it, the documents said.

Police determined that the handgun was stolen in a burglary.

Faaofonuu was on bail after posting $2,000 bond after he allegedly assaulted a city bus driver Jan. 14 in Kahala.

The bus was idling picking up passengers when the suspect entered the vehicle and allegedly assaulted the driver, police said.

A bus rider intervened and called police.

Faaofonuu’s District Court trial on a charge of third-degree assault on the bus driver was set to begin March 6.

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