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2 Honolulu police officers still on ‘injured leave’ following altercation with Lindani Myeni

CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARADVERTISER.COM
                                Police responded to a burglary in progress at a home at 91 Coelho Way at about 8:10 p.m. Wednesday.

CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARADVERTISER.COM

Police responded to a burglary in progress at a home at 91 Coelho Way at about 8:10 p.m. Wednesday.

Two Honolulu police officers remain on “injured leave” nearly a week after they sustained multiple injuries in a violent struggle with 29-year-old Lindani Myeni fronting a Nuuanu home during an alleged burglary.

The altercation ended after officers fatally shot Myeni.

Police responded to a burglary in progress at a home at 91 Coelho Way at about 8:10 p.m. Wednesday.

Clips from body camera footage show a police officer repeatedly order Myeni to get on the ground but Myeni did not comply. He is then seen approaching and attacking the officer.

Honolulu Police Chief Susan Ballard said a second officer tried to get Myeni off the first officer when a third officer who also responded to the scene deployed his Taser without effect.

One of the officers fired a shot as the struggle continued between the officers and Myeni, who kept pummeling the first officer.

Myeni fell to the ground after the second officer fired three shots.

The Honolulu Medical Examiner’s Office said Myeni died of multiple gunshot wounds. The married father of two from South Africa moved to Hawaii in January. He has no prior criminal history.

One of the officers who has 23 years of service with the police department was hospitalized after he sustained facial fractures, a concussion and bodily injuries. Another officer with 18 years of service sustained multiple bodily injuries and the third with 10 years of service sustained a concussion and multiple abrasions to his body.

In an emailed statement today, Michelle Yu, spokeswoman of the Honolulu Police Department, said, “Two officers remain on injured leave. The other is expected to return to work later this week.”

A police investigation is ongoing.

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