A man accused of fatally shooting a 44-year-old woman in a Chinatown gaming room appeared in Honolulu District Court on Tuesday.
Alabanza Tuimalealiifano, 30, who has no local address, has been charged with manslaughter, first-degree robbery, second-degree attempted murder and five firearm offenses.
A District Court judge confirmed his bail at $1 million, and Tuimalealiifano was being held at Oahu Community Correctional Center.
Tuimalealiifano is accused of shooting Tara Tevaga in the chest and a 25-year-old man in the neck at Cuties Cafe, 36 N. King St., at about 1:50 a.m. Saturday. Tevaga was taken to the Queen’s Medical Center, where she died. The man, who was working as security for the business, went to the hospital and was later released, a police affidavit filed in District Court on Tuesday said.
Cuties was known to conduct illegal gaming activities, the affidavit said. Police were seen recovering gaming-type devices from the business on the day of the shooting.
On Saturday, Tuimalealiifano arrived at the gaming room with three other men, fired a shot into the ceiling and said it was a robbery, according to the affidavit. The security guard began struggling with Tuimalealiifano, who fired several more shots before running out of the business.
A cashier at the business called police during the robbery, saying the suspect attempted to rob the game room, but a struggle ensued among the gunman, the security employee and a patron, and the security employee and patron were shot.
Tuimalealiifano was arrested about 5:50 p.m. Saturday in Kapolei.
