Killing in front of Kapolei police station sparks outrage

A schizophrenic man with a lengthy arrest record allegedly beat a 48-year-old woman to death with a tree trunk in front of the Kapolei police station Tuesday evening, shortly after he was released pending investigation for attacking a police officer.

The set of crimes, which played out over a period of about 24 hours, prompted the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers to demand answers to questions regarding how someone arrested for hitting a police officer in the head is released into the community without charges.

“A woman was brutally beaten to death because the prosecuting attorney refused to hold a violent criminal, who had just physically assaulted a uniformed police officer, behind bars,” Robert Cavaco, SHOPO president, said in a statement to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. “I’m outraged and our residents should be outraged at this flagrant disregard for the rule of law.”

Further, Cavaco said, “Prosecutors are supposed to hold criminals accountable, not push known violent offenders through a revolving jailhouse door to terrorize and re-victimize our residents and police officers. We are entitled to answers as to how the prosecuting attorney could allow this to happen so that we can ensure this never happens again.”

Michael Kalama Armstrong, 35, was arrested for second-degree murder in connection with the woman’s death. Armstrong has 18 prior arrests, including one felony conviction, for offenses ranging from burglary, theft, carrying a deadly weapon, shoplifting and drunk driving, according to court records and police.

Armstrong, who has been diagnosed as schizophrenic and bipolar, was recently released from Kahi Mohala Behavioral Health, according to the Honolulu Police Department’s internal activity highlights for Monday, a copy of which was obtained by the Star-Advertiser.

Armstrong was arrested at 9:45 p.m. Monday after he allegedly snuck up on an HPD corporal at a group home in Mililani and punched him in the left side of the head, according to police. The corporal was one of three officers who responded to a call of a woman being attacked at 94-243 Maealani Place in Mililani.

The corporal was speaking to the victim when Armstrong approached him from his blind side and punched him in the left side of the head, causing pain. The corporal turned around and found Armstrong squared up to fight. The corporal quickly threw a left hook to Armstrong’s jaw, knocking him out, according to police.

Armstrong was detained and treated by the officer before they both were taken to Wahiawa General Hospital for evaluation. Both were treated and released and Armstrong was arrested on suspicion of felony assault of a law enforcement officer and misdemeanor assault.

Interim HPD Chief Rade Vanic told police commissioners Wednesday charges were not filed so police released Armstrong pending investigation.

Shortly after Armstrong exited the Kapolei police station’s building patrol officers responded to a 911 call, at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, regarding a man standing over a woman on the station’s grounds on Kamokila Boulevard. The responding officers found the woman badly beaten and unresponsive.

The victim was taken to a nearby hospital where she was pronounced dead. The Honolulu Medical Examiner’s Office did not release her name.

“We are actively working to get justice for the woman who was killed last night and for our officer who was senselessly struck in the head,” Vanic told the Star-Advertiser. “We hope that justice will be served in both cases.”

In 2007, Armstrong was acquitted in 2007 by reason of insanity in a burglary, car theft and theft case on Hawaii island. He was then committed to the Hawaii State Hospital where he underwent treatment. From 2011 to 2021, Armstrong bounced between group homes, Kahi Mohala Behavioral Health and the state hospital.

Court documents showed he would do well while on medication but symptoms returned when he deviated from treatment.

A May 2017 probation officer report showed that he began experiencing an “exacerbation of psychotic symptoms and appears in need of immediate hospitalization and treatment.”

That year, his probation officer described an episode in which Armstrong went up to Mauna Kea to “communicate with aliens and UFOs and to spit on the devil.” The report said Armstrong had refused to comply with his psychiatrist’s recommendation to taking medication.

A psychiatrist treating Armstrong indicated he was “paranoid” and “isolative with delusional thoughts, his judgement is significantly impaired and he can escalate rather quickly if challenged by others.”

Court records indicated in 2021 that he was doing well when arrangements were made for him to stay at a state-operated specialized residential program.

Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm told the Star-­Advertiser that if his office immediately charged Armstrong with a misdemeanor he would have likely pleaded guilty, preventing prosecutors from later charging him with felony assault of the HPD officer.

Follow-up investigations were needed to determine whether a felony or misdemeanor charge of assaulting an officer was warranted. That would mean going to the scene at the same time of night it took place to look at the lighting, the positioning of the individuals when the assault occurred, and other details, Alm said.

“If he had been charged with a misdemeanor and pled guilty, he would likely have faced very little consequence, if any, for his actions. As is routinely done when more investigation is needed on felony charges, HPD and the Department agreed that Armstrong would be released pending that further investigation,” said Alm. “We will work with HPD to bring the most serious charges against Armstrong.”

Cavaco said officers are angered by the killing and women and men in uniform being attacked on Oahu with few consequences. Last week there were 13 police officers shot in a 24-hour period nationwide and since Feb. 8, six separate incidents of assault of an HPD officer have been documented.

The police union is “extremely concerned” about the violence against officers especially as they address “chronic under staffing,” he said.

“Prosecuting attorneys are dropping charges against suspects arrested for assaulting police officers on a regular basis. In most instances they claim the perpetrator did not know that the person they were assaulting was an officer, even though the officer is in uniform or was observed getting out of a marked patrol car. It is getting ridiculous.” Cavaco said. “

Our officers are disheartened, they are tired, and they are fed up with excuses from who should be our partners within the criminal justice system. The murdered woman should be alive today and that weighs heavy on our members.”