A man who was stabbed at Ala Moana Center died from three chest wounds that led to massive bleeding from his lung and heart, the Honolulu Medical Examiner’s Office said Thursday.
The office ruled Brent Keola "Ola" Kanae’s death Wednesday a homicide, but police would not say whether they have any leads and would not release any information on the investigation.
From the family’s perspective, "he just went to work" and never came home, said his uncle.
Family members said they have no idea why Kanae, 23, of Kapahulu, was fatally stabbed and were not ready to speak publicly Thursday.
Solo Fifita, a co-worker at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., described Kanae as a "really nice guy" who worked as a line cook, among other things.
"I never saw that happening to him," he said.
Kanae also was a break dancer, Fifita said.
"He was real good at it, had a talent for it," he added.
Kanae was found unconscious in an open-air makai stairwell behind California Pizza Kitchen at 3:05 p.m., and died at the hospital.
Fifita said the stairwell is the one workers are instructed to use when taking smoke breaks in a lower parking lot.
Police said Kanae went to the shopping center before work and had lunch with friends.
Roy Takemura, 22, Kanae’s middle school and high school classmate, went to Ala Moana Thursday "to pay respects," he said. "It’s sad to see someone so young …
"He was a pretty quiet guy, but he was pretty outgoing, too," when it came to break dancing, he said.
Anyone with information on the slaying is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 or *CRIME on a cellphone.
