A 33-year-old Pahoa man who police say shot himself in the face after an hours-long hostage situation in Puna was flown to Oahu for treatment.
The man was flown to The Queen’s Medical Center from Hilo Medical Center, and police said Thursday his condition had been upgraded to serious from critical. `
Just before 5:40 a.m. Tuesday, police responding to a report of a shooting on Nohea Street in the Leilani Estates subdivision found a 25-year-old Keaau man on the roadside with multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported in stable condition to Hilo Medical Center.
Police said the Keaau man and his 30-year-old female passenger had been followed by a blue sport utility vehicle operated by the suspect at Leilani Estates, when the two vehicles stopped on Nohea Street and the two men confronted one another. After an argument the suspect allegedly shot the victim several times, then ordered the passenger — who is related to him — to get into his vehicle, police said.
A police officer spotted the SUV turning into the driveway of a residence on Leilani Avenue and, walking toward the driveway, heard several gunshots near the home.
The officer was uninjured and set up a perimeter with other responding officers. The Hawaii County Police Department’s Special Response Team also responded.
Police said the suspect barricaded himself in the home with the woman and four girls, ages 9 to 16, who are also relatives.
Intermittent gunshots were fired at an unattended police vehicle during a standoff, and at 2 p.m. the suspect surrendered. Police said he came out of the house and shot himself in the face with a rifle. Paramedics transported him in critical condition to Hilo Medical Center.
None of the hostages was injured.
Police arrested the Pahoa man on suspicion of second-degree attempted murder and later recovered the firearm.
Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call police at 935-3311 or Detective Grant Todd of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section at 961-2381 or email Grant.Todd@hawaiicounty.gov.
