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Hawaii News

Suspect allegedly fired fatal shot in game room robbery attempt

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CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARADVERTISER.COM

Manu Sorensen, right, made his initial court appearance Thursday on a second-degree murder charge in the shooting death of a 31-year-old man at a game room on Kapiolani Boulevard Saturday night.

A 28-year-old man charged with murdering a man at an illegal game room on Kapiolani Boulevard over the weekend reportedly was trying to shoot his way back into the establishment after a bouncer locked him out during a robbery attempt.

On Thursday, an Oahu grand jury indicted Manu Sorensen, also known as Ross Manu Sorensen, on charges of second-degree murder, first-degree robbery and three firearm offenses in the death of Jacob N. Feliciano of Waipahu.

He is in custody in lieu of $1 million bail.

Police said the deadly shooting occurred at Gameroom Rock Za/Sura on the second floor of a building at 1726 Kapiolani Blvd. at about 10:50 p.m. Saturday. According to court documents, Sorensen and Robin Paakaula entered the game room at about 10:30 p.m. and began playing on the machines together.

The two men then headed toward the exit. Sorensen stepped outside and kept the door slightly open while Paakaula stopped to ask the cashier for change. When the cashier pulled out an envelope containing cash, Paakaula grabbed the envelope, police said.

As the cashier and Paakaula struggled over the envelope, a bouncer pushed Sorensen out and locked the metal security door.

Court documents state that Sorensen kicked the door several times and then fired a single shot that penetrated the door and struck Feliciano. He then fled.

Feliciano, 31, died Sunday morning as a result of a gunshot wound to his right shoulder, according to the Honolulu Medical Examiner’s Office.

The game room cashier detained Paakaula until police arrived. At the time of his arrest, police found him in possession of a glass torch lighter and a clear plastic bag that contained crystal methamphetamine.

An Oahu grand jury indicted Paakaula Thursday on charges of second- degree robbery and third- degree drug possession. His bail is also set at $1 million.

Sorensen was arrested in Hauula Monday after Honolulu CrimeStoppers issued a bulletin seeking the public’s help in locating him. He has a criminal history that includes extortion and misdemeanor assault.

In 2011, Sorensen was sentenced in federal court to 27 months’ imprisonment for attempting to extort money from a woman whose son was incarcerated at the Oahu Community Correctional Center. Court documents said the woman paid Sorensen’s friend, an inmate at the same jail, to protect her son. The friend then wired the money to Sorensen and told him to keep it.

Later, when Sorensen needed rent money, he contacted the woman and told her to wire him $300 a week or “her son would be harmed,” court records said.

In 2014, Sorensen was sentenced to eight months in prison for attacking an inmate at the Honolulu Federal Detention Center.

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