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The death of a man who was found with face injuries at Aala Park has been classified as a homicide.
Officers found the man at about 11:30 a.m. Wednesday. He was taken in serious condition to a hospital, but his health grew worse and he died Wednesday night, police said.
The Medical Examiner’s Office determined the man died of blunt-force trauma to the head, and ruled the death a homicide. He has not been identified.
Two men who live at the park identified the victim as Gordy, a Vietnamese-American who lived on the streets makai of Aala Park.
"He seemed quiet enough," said one of the men, who gave his name as Bob. "Never bothered me."
"He was a nice man," said the other man, who declined to give his name. He said he had played cards with Gordy and others Wednesday morning.
Later that morning, the man saw Gordy sitting on a low wall at the edge of a parking lot on the mauka side of the park. Another homeless man exchanged a few words with Gordy, then punched him in the face, the man said. Gordy fell to the ground and hit his head.
"There was blood on the sidewalk," the man said.
The assailant, who was about 6 feet tall and towered over Gordy, walked away toward Nimitz Highway.
Someone called police, who arrived in about five minutes, the homeless man said.
He said he knows the assailant as Barney and saw him attack another man about a year ago.
The man said he saw the assailant returning from a visit to the hospital. He had gone to see Gordy, who wasn’t there, the man said.
Police have made no arrests in the case.
