Police arrested a suspect Friday night in the murder case involving a man pinned under his own car.
The 33-year-old man was arrested at 7:15 p.m. in Kalihi on suspicion of second-degree murder, Honolulu Police Department spokeswoman Michelle Yu said.
Police reclassified the death of the Kyen Knowles, 36, of Kalihi as murder after initially calling it a motor vehicle accident.
Family members said Friday that Knowles had gotten into an argument at a fast-food restaurant while picking up food for his kids, and on the way home someone fired a gun at him on Waterhouse Street.
His death certificate reveals that someone shot at Knowles, prompting him to try to get out of the car. However, it struck and rolled over him, pinning him under a tire.
The medical examiner found Knowles died of mechanical asphyxia and ruled the death a homicide. He had no gunshot wound.
Knowles’ ex-wife, Violet George, said they have three small children who were visiting their dad at the time of his death.
“He didn’t have to go this way,” said George by telephone Friday. “He has children, still babies, still learning life. Now they got to learn without their dad. Our son’s birthday is next week. Our daughter’s is in July. It’s going to be her first year going to school. Her daddy won’t be there to say, ‘Hey, how’s school?’ She’s going to be heartbroken.”
A nearby convenience store’s surveillance video provided some evidence of what happened. Area residents heard gunshots and saw the man trapped under the front left tire.
Although she lives in Fort Riley, Kan., George, a Kaneohe native, was among the first to learn that Knowles was killed.
“He was almost home,” she said, adding they lived in an apartment just two blocks from the scene. “My children were waiting for him to come home. He went to get something for them to eat.”
The 26-year-old said it happened right outside her grandmother’s apartment. She was outside when it happened and heard screaming, George said. She took a photo of his 1991 Lexus and sent it to George, asking whether it was his car. She told her it was.
Knowles came to Hawaii while in the Navy, fell in love with the islands and stayed after he left the service, she said.
While living in Waianae, they met, and had Kyen Jr., who will turn 8 years old next week, Kendall, 5, and daughter Kenya, who’s turning 5 next month. The kids lived with their dad, and George said she will arrive in Honolulu to retrieve them Wednesday.
Knowles obtained a criminal justice degree from Heald College and worked as a mason.
“He had plans to move to the mainland to start a new life because Hawaii was getting expensive,” George said.
George learned what happened from Knowles’ father. Knowles’ current girlfriend called his father, who was staying with his son, and he shared the details with George.
The girlfriend said she talked to Knowles just before his death, George said.
“He was getting into an argument with a bunch of guys at Burger King, but she didn’t know why because he didn’t tell her.”
George quickly texted him, asking, “‘Are you all right?’ I called him and left a message, crying.”
She said Knowles’ father called the Medical Examiner’s office to see whether they had identified Knowles. “They said yes,” she said.
Although they had lived apart for years, George says she took the news hard. “He was my first love,” she said. They spoke often, she said, and he gave her moral support.
“It’s like I was just talking to him. I feel kind of empty and lost,” George said. “Whenever I’m feeling down and out, I would call him. Now I don’t have nobody.”
She asked for witnesses to come forward and for police to step up their efforts. “There has to be justice for my kids’ father’s life so it doesn’t happen to anybody else.”
