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Honolulu police officer, suspect shot in Waianae

Leila Fujimori
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Video by Leila Fujimori and Mark Ladao
A Honolulu police officer and a male suspect were shot around 1:40 p.m. today near Pokai Bay. HPD said plainclothes officers were at a Waianae home investigating an armed robbery that occurred over the weekend when a shooting ensued, The officer was transported to Queen's Medical Center in critical condition and the suspect was transported in serious condition.
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BRUCE ASATO / BASATO@STARADVERTISER.COM

Officers stood at the front entrance to the house.

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BRUCE ASATO / BASATO@STARADVERTISER.COM

Honolulu Police officers converged on a house Monday at 86-057 Alta St. near Pokai Bay in Waianae after a plainclothes officer was shot while investigating a person of interest.

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BRUCE ASATO / BASATO@STARADVERTISER.COM

Honolulu Police officers investigated a police shooting Monday on Alta Street.

A Honolulu police officer was shot Monday at a home near Pokai Bay while investigating an armed robbery.

Police said plainclothes officers were at the Waianae home investigating a robbery that occurred over the weekend when a shooting ensued.

The officer was transported in critical condition to The Queen’s Medical Center, but police later said the officer was in stable condition.

A suspect was also shot during the incident and transported to Queen’s in serious condition.

Police officers arrived at 1:42 p.m. at the house at 86-057 Alta St., police said.

Maj. Joseph Trinidad, District 8 commander, said the officers were let into the house and that the person of interest was in the back. A scuffle ensued and shots were fired, but he could not say who fired first.

The suspect is in his 30s, and the police officer is also in his 30s with about five years’ service with the Honolulu Police Department, police said.

Trinidad said that a woman who rented the house and a second man were also on the property at the time of the shooting. They were considered persons of interest and were detained and questioned, but it’s unclear whether they were arrested.

A woman who identified herself as the property manager said the home had been rented to one woman, whom she described as disabled, for seven to eight years.

“You wouldn’t suspect she would be part of (any criminal activity), because she can hardly walk,” said the property manager, who arrived late Monday afternoon at the scene.

Neighbor Keani Petty, 18, said she knows the disabled woman as Auntie Michelle. “She’s been kind of distant. I used to go over all the time. I haven’t been there in a while. She’s been having all kinds of people in her house, random people. Now that makes total sense.”

Ty Paulo, 31, who lives across the street, said he heard the shooting and went outside.

“Seen the suspect, his back was flat on the ground, plenty of blood was coming down from his chest,” he said. “They always argued a lot. For some reason this incident happened. The suspect shot the cop, and another cop shot the suspect in response.”

He said 10 to 20 officers arrived at the home.

Several officers went in and out of the house during the hours-long investigation, including numerous detectives. A Crimes Reduction Unit from Pearl City remained on scene.

Police did not say who shot first, but Honolulu Police Chief Susan Ballard is expected to speak this morning at a news conference on the shooting.

HPD did not respond to a question of how unusual a police shooting is, but shootings of officers on Oahu are rare.

Meanwhile, fellow officers showed support for the injured officer at the hospital.

About 20 vehicles from HPD were already lined up along Miller Street by 2:30 p.m. Monday, taking up the lane going away from Punchbowl Street, and on Queen’s property.

A police vehicle was blocking car access from Punchbowl Street onto Miller Street, although officers were directing traffic for those who wanted to get in; there was free access for cars going onto Punchbowl Street.

About a dozen uniformed police officers were in and around the Queen’s ambulance lot; aside from the two officers directing traffic, most were talking among themselves and others.


Reporter Mark Ladao contributed to this report.


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