The 20-year-old victim in the Christmas Day shooting at Ala Moana Center is former Moanalua High School football receiver Stevie Feliciano, his former coach confirmed Tuesday.
“They tell you you’re not supposed to have favorites, but there’s certain kids who reach your heart,” said his former coach, Jason Cauley, who is in contact with Feliciano’s uncles and former teammates, who say he remains unresponsive on life support.
“He was just very special,” Cauley said. “He’s just one of those kids when you see him, he just smiles. He was silly, but a good silly, not a bad silly. I loved him.”
Emergency Medical Services reported the victim suffered a gunshot wound to the back of his head. He was transported in critical condition to a hospital.
“It’s not looking good but he’s still hanging on, was the last we’ve heard,” Cauley said by telephone from Hays, Kan., where he coaches prep football.
Police identified the suspect as Dae Han Moon, 20, of no local address, who was out on bail in a case in which he allegedly struck a police vehicle with a car. Moon is still at large.
At about 7:30 p.m. Sunday, police said, Moon and his friends got into an argument with Feliciano and his friends in the fifth-level parking lot of the shopping center. Police said the argument intensified, and Moon grabbed a gun from his vehicle and fired.
Moon and his friends fled before police arrived.
After graduation in 2015, Feliciano left for Western Samoa, where he was born, to spend time with his father, a fisherman, Cauley said.
The year after graduating, he returned to his alma mater to coach receivers during preseason and as the season began.
“He showed the same passion he did when he was a player,” he said. “Those kids responded to him. … He did a heck of a job.
“EVERYBODY loved Stevie,” Cauley added.
On the field Feliciano always gave 100 percent.
“He was small, but he wouldn’t back down from anybody,” Cauley said. “He had a mouth on him, and he could back it up. … He was one of the toughest kids. Nobody wanted to mess with Stevie.”
Cauley said he has refrained from asking about the details of the shooting. “Right now I just hope he gets better and makes it through,” he said.
Six days before the shooting, Moon appeared in Circuit Court on charges in a separate case for allegedly hitting a police vehicle while attempting to flee.
At about 1:30 a.m. Dec. 5, patrol officers responded to a report of suspicious activity at a Kaheka Street apartment building. When police arrived, Moon allegedly entered a vehicle and tried to flee but struck a police vehicle and rock wall.
He fled on foot but was caught by officers shortly afterward. Police said a firearm was found on the driver’s seat.
Moon was charged with unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle and a related firearm charge. On Dec. 19 he pleaded not guilty and posted a $30,000 bail, court records show.
Judge Colette Garibaldi prohibited him from possessing firearms. His trial is set for Feb. 21.
He is described as 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing 200 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.
Anyone with information on Moon’s whereabouts is urged to call CrimeStoppers at 955-8300.
