NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Bullet pierces roof of home

KAILUA-KONA >> A stray bullet fired during New Year’s Eve celebrations fell and pierced the roof of a home on Hawaii island, police and the homeowner said.

Farzad Fazeli of Kealakekua said the bullet left a 1-inch-diameter hole in the ceiling of his dining room, then hit the wood floor near a table and bounced toward a window.

West Hawaii Today reported Friday that no one was in the room at the time the bullet struck between 10:30 and 11 p.m. Tuesday.

Police confiscated the .44-caliber bullet. Police said it would be difficult to pinpoint exactly who shot the bullet, Fazeli said.

Fazeli said the incident left him and his family feeling "freaked out and insecure."

He was sitting about 10 feet away from where the bullet came in through the ceiling, and was thankful his son was not there, he said.

"No one expects a bullet to come through their roof like that. That bullet could have injured or killed someone," Fazeli said. "What if it was a full round of bullets? What’s it going to take for people to stop this? A death?"

Kona patrol Lt. William Souther of the Hawaii Police Department confirmed the incident. He says firing bullets into the sky is dangerous and illegal.

"What goes up must come down again, and you don’t know exactly where," Souther said.

Boat ramp to be shut for 2 days

KAILUA-KONA >> The Department of Land and Natural Resources will close the Puako boat launch ramp for two days next week to remove a loading dock damaged by high surf.

The department says the ramp will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday. It will reopen Thursday, but no loading dock will be available for boaters to use.

The concrete dock cracked in half and collapsed because of high surf Dec. 20.

The department is seeking bids for a temporary wooden dock replacement.

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Associated Press