Honolulu police are investigating two separate homicide cases that occurred in Waikiki and Kaneohe within a few hours of one another Tuesday.
The Kaneohe case involved a 77-year-old security guard who was killed after a male stabbed him multiple times at the Windward City Shopping Center in Kaneohe, police said.
Friends identified the victim as Mike Chu.
Honolulu police said the security guard had just arrived at the shopping mall in his personal vehicle when the male approached him at about 5:50 a.m. Tuesday.
An argument reportedly occurred between the victim and the male. The argument escalated, and the male stabbed the victim multiple times, police said. The male then fled on foot toward Kamehameha Highway.
Emergency Medical Services personnel responded and administered lifesaving treatment on Chu, who suffered multiple stab wounds to his neck, chest, arms and abdomen. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Jones Lang LaSalle Americas Inc., the property management company of Windward City Shopping Center, said, “We are deeply shocked and saddened by this tragedy and our thoughts are with the victim and his family.”
The company is working closely with police in the investigation.
Chu worked for Securitas Security Services.
Securitas declined to comment on the case.
Blood was seen on the ground and on the driver’s-side door of Chu’s dark gray sedan in the parking lot near 24 Hour Fitness.
“It’s really senseless,” said Chu’s longtime friend Gary Tanouye who knew Chu for more than 30 years. “No one should have to go through this type of situation.”
Chu, a husband and a father of two adult children, served as board president of the Kailua Community Basketball League. He was a well-liked, well-respected and down-to-earth guy, Tanouye said.
Prior to working for Securitas, Chu worked and retired from St. Francis School, a Catholic school in Manoa that closed in 2019.
He previously worked at two other Catholic schools — Saint Louis School in Kaimuki and St. John Vianney Parish School in Kailua — and also served as a basketball referee for the Interscholastic League of Honolulu.
“We lost a good guy,” Tanouye said. “He gave a lot back to the community with his time and effort.”
Honolulu police have opened a second-degree murder investigation in the stabbing case. There were no arrests as of Tuesday afternoon.
The suspect is described as 6 feet tall and approximately 240 pounds. He was wearing a long-sleeve black shirt, black pants and a black beanie-type cap at the time of the stabbing.
Anyone who may have witnessed the stabbing or has information on the suspect is urged to call 911 or CrimeStoppers at 808-955-8300.
In a separate, unrelated case, police have opened a second-degree murder investigation in connection with the death of a 21-year-old man in Waikiki early Tuesday.
The victim was sitting at a bus stop fronting the Royal Kuhio Hotel when a group of males approached him at about 2:45 a.m.
“A physical altercation ensued and the victim fled mauka on Seaside Avenue while being pursued by the suspects,” police said.
The suspects caught up to the victim and assaulted him with a blunt object, police added. During the assault the victim became unresponsive, and the suspects fled the scene.
EMS conducted lifesaving treatment on the victim, who suffered a wound to the left side of his chest.
He was taken to The Queen’s Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. The Honolulu Medical Examiner’s Office has yet to release his name.
Police temporarily cordoned off the bus stop fronting the Royal Kuhio Hotel on Kuhio Avenue with yellow tape as officers investigated Tuesday morning. Police also cordoned off Manukai Street between Royal Hawaiian and Seaside avenues as part of the investigation.
There were no arrests as of Tuesday afternoon.
