Honolulu police fatally shoot man suspected in violent carjackings, ‘smash-and-grab’ robberies

Five Honolulu Police Department plainclothes officers fired about 20 rounds in all, killing a 30-year-old man who was wanted in a rash of armed robberies and possible carjackings, police Chief Susan Ballard said Wednesday.

Michael Kahalehoe died at the scene late Tuesday night in Kapolei. He had a handgun in his waistband, Ballard said.

It was the sixth officer-involved shooting this year in Honolulu. Three of them resulted in fatalities.

In 2018 there were 12 officer-­involved shootings and six were fatalities.

Kahalehoe’s suspected accomplice, Melvin Spillner, 24, tried to flee but was captured and later treated for minor injuries, Ballard said.

Kahalehoe and Spillner are “possible suspects” in a rash of recent carjackings and “smash-and-grab” cases, Ballard said, and “they are definitely the suspects in multiple armed robberies that have been occurring on this island since Nov. 3.”

Ballard did not mention specific cases, but earlier this month police said they were looking for three men responsible for ramming a stolen pick-up truck into the Ala Moana Center Macy’s and stealing merchandise early in the morning of Nov. 4. Police said the men were also suspected in a series of recent violent carjackings.

On Tuesday, CrimeStoppers issued an alert for Kahalehoe, Spillner and a third man, Victor Gascon III, 25, who remains wanted for failing to comply with the terms and conditions of his probation.

Later that night, plainclothes officers from HPD’s Special Enforcement Detail and Crime Reduction Unit were in unmarked vehicles when they spotted the vehicle that Kahalehoe was driving and followed it into the Shell gas station in Kapolei at 577 Farrington Highway around 10:30 p.m.

Ballard said the officers identified themselves as police and Spillner, who was gassing up the vehicle, tried to run away but was captured.

Kahalehoe drove “back and forth in an attempt to leave the gas station” and struck a police vehicle while “grazing” one of the officers, Ballard said.

“Fearing for their own lives and that of their fellow officers,” five officers began firing, she said.

The officers have between five years and 17 years of experience on the force and have been offered three days of administrative leave, Ballard said.

Kahalehoe had 17 convictions, including six felony convictions for vehicle break ins, vehicle theft, drugs and weapons violations. Spillner has six convictions, including four felony convictions for vehicle break-ins and vehicle thefts.

Police are also looking for the female driver of a black Honda that was at the gas station.

>> Video: Chief Susan Ballard gives update on Kapolei officer-involved shooting