Stangel indicted for Friday morning shooting spree

The man accused of last week’s shooting rampage was indicted by the Oahu grand jury today on charges of attempted murder, murder and cocaine and marijuana counts related to what prosecutors say were drugs found in his car.

A pair of brass knuckles and a hunting knife 10 to 12 inches long were also recovered from the vehicle, a prosecutor said.

Toby Stangel, 28, was indicted on 20 counts in connection with the shootings at three locations that left one woman dead and two others still in the hospital.

The 17-minute shooting spree started early Friday morning in Kaimuki where Tammy Nguyen was fatally shot and ended on the H-1 freeway in Aiea before police found his car.

Police have said the shootings appeared to be random acts.

The charges include three counts of first-degree attempted murder of trying to kill more than one person and firing shots at two police officers.

If convicted of a first-degree attempted murder charge, Stangel would be sentenced to a mandatory life term without parole, the state’s harshest sentence.

City Deputy Prosecutor Dean Young told Circuit Judge Richard Perkins that Stangel shot at multiple victims at three locations with a 9 mm semiautomatic firearm that had a magazine with an "illegal capacity."

One of the counts involves a "prohibited detachable magazine" with a 15-round clip.

The woman who died suffered a gunshot wound to her head, Young said.

Stangel is accused of wounding two other drivers on the H-1 freeway near Likelike Highway and later firing at two police officers conducting a traffic stop on Monanalua Freeway.

The officers were 10 to 12 feet away and had to duck for cover, according to Young.

Police later found the car parked on the shoulder of the H-1 freeway and recovered from the car "numerous drugs," drug paraphernalia, the knife and brass knuckles, Young said.

The indictment’s counts also include illegal possession of a drug pipe and promotion of a harmful drug, Alprazolam, a prescription drug for anxiety and panic disorders.

Young said a 9 mm firearm was found just outside the car.

The casings from each of the three shooting locations were identical and matched the 9 mm firearm, Young said.

The indictment’s other counts include using a firearm to commit a felony and firearm and ammunition violations.

Young noted that Stangel already received a deferral in a firearms case.

Stangel was charged with carrying a firearm without a permit in November 2003.

He pleaded no contest, but was given a chance in 2004 to have the case dismissed if he abided by conditions similar to probation for five years.  He was granted early release from those conditions in 2007.

Perkins approved Stangel’s bail of $5 million.

Stangel, son of a North Shore minister, remains in custody.  The date for his arraignment on the indictment will be set later.