A graphic video showing a violent assault on a 21-year-old woman on a Wahiawa sidewalk went viral on social media Wednesday afternoon, triggering widespread outrage and a swift response from police. The footage, which showed multiple attackers targeting the victim as others laughed in the background, led to the arrest of four people, including three juveniles.
Honolulu police confirmed the arrests took place Wednesday evening.
Those taken into custody include Wahiawa Middle School and Leilehua High School students — a 13-year-old boy, a 14-year-old girl, a 16-year-old girl and an 18-year-old woman identified as Jasmine Kehaulani Keola. While the department has not released the exact date or time of the assault, officials said the investigation remains ongoing and charges are pending.
Ernest Muh, Leilehua-
Mililani-Waialua Area Complex superintendent, issued a statement Thursday condemning the actions captured in the footage.
“The actions shown are violent, unacceptable, and have understandably caused outrage and concern throughout our community,” Muh wrote.
Although the assault did not occur on school grounds or during school hours, Muh said the DOE is fully cooperating with law enforcement in the wake of the arrests. He also confirmed that the students identified in the video will not return to campus for the rest of the school year.
Keola is reportedly a senior at Leilehua, whose graduation ceremony is scheduled for today. Muh added that there would be increased security and police presence to ensure safety at the ceremony.
The video shows the female attackers repeatedly striking the victim in the head, knocking off her glasses. The victim, who has special needs, is heard telling the group she no longer wants to take the bus because she doesn’t want to “mess with” them.
The assault escalates as the attackers punch her, pull her hair and kick her while she lies on the ground. Laughter continues throughout the video.
Keola was arrested on two counts of third-degree assault and one count of fourth-degree criminal property damage. The charges were later dismissed without prejudice.
In an interview with media outlets Thursday, as reported by KHON2, Keola said, “I’m sorry for what I did, I didn’t mean to do it. … I can’t even walk graduation now because of what I did and the videos that are out, so I can’t do anything. We all got each other in trouble.”
The mother of some of the attackers also spoke out Wednesday night in an interview with Hawaii News Now, apologizing to the victim’s family on behalf of the students. “Didn’t mean for it to go this far, but I apologize for my children’s actions and I hope that you guys can forgive my kids,” she said.
Carolyn Hayashi, the family’s attorney and spokesperson, confirmed to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that the attack actually occurred in April, but the
victim did not tell anyone at the time. The family learned what had happened only after the video surfaced online Wednesday and began
circulating.
“The family would like to sincerely thank friends, family and the public for the outpouring of love, support, and concern during this incredibly difficult time. Your kind words and compassion have meant more to them than they can express in words,” Hayashi said in a statement. “At this moment, the family respectfully asks for their privacy as they try to process what has happened and figure out their next steps. They are still coming to terms with everything, and need time and space to do so.”
Hayashi said the family had not yet determined how they plan to move forward as of Thursday and, at this time, does not wish to publicly disclose the victim’s name. She added that the 21-year-old victim graduated from Leilehua High School three years ago and still lives in the Wahiawa area, which might explain how she came across the group involved in the assault.
As the video spread online, community members reacted with immediate anger and concern. Wahiawa residents and students quickly took to social media to identify the attackers. At one point a community-led search for the suspects was livestreamed on Instagram and drew more than 11,000 viewers.
The state Department of Education had emphasized its existing prevention and response efforts, which include schoolwide behavior programs, student-led
anti-bullying campaigns and partnerships with law enforcement and wellness professionals. Under state law, disorderly conduct
encompasses violent or disruptive behavior at school-sponsored events, on campus or during Department of Education transportation.
Leilehua Principal Jason Nakamoto addressed the incident in a letter to families Wednesday evening.
“Our administration has been made aware of a video circulating among our school community of a recent off-campus assault involving one or more of our students,” Nakamoto wrote. “We are working with the families involved and are cooperating with the police investigation.”
Nakamoto emphasized that the school takes assault and physical violence seriously, noting that such behavior is classified as a Class A student conduct offense. Consequences can range from detention to dismissal, and students who instigate or support fights could also face disciplinary action.
Meanwhile, the incident has revived painful memories and sparked new conversations about bullying, with students calling for accountability from school administrators.
Kaylee Basham, a 16-year-old junior at LHS, shared with the Star-
Advertiser her personal experience with bullying from her peers.
Basham said she has been the target of harassment since her sophomore year and described a
December incident on a school bus where she was harassed and physically assaulted, and was filmed.
“I immediately lost all hope in this school. … The bus driver didn’t even report it,” Basham said. “I walked through Leilehua with my head down, constantly harassed by multiple groups of girls who were spreading the video around.”
Basham said her attempts to seek help were met with indifference from school officials and that her mental health deteriorated to the point of a suicide attempt. Though she was eventually referred to a therapist, she said administrators failed to fully address the bullying or hold students accountable.
“This video circulating of this incident this week has brought back so much trauma for me, and I am so sick of the school tolerating this,” she said. “Leilehua needs to properly take their time and handle students when it comes to this. … There’s no reason any of this should have happened.”
Basham’s story, along with the recent Wahiawa attack, has shed light on what some say is a broader culture of normalized bullying and inadequate administrative response. Students and families say they want the school to act with urgency and compassion — not only when public scrutiny arises, but as a consistent practice.
Adding to the concerns, another video surfaced online shortly after the Wahiawa attack went viral, allegedly depicting a separate bullying incident involving students from Pearl City High School.
The video, reportedly recorded last week, shows a girl repeatedly hitting another girl until she falls to the ground while bystanders fail to intervene.
Pearl City High School stated on its social media account Thursday that the administration is aware of the incident and has been working closely with the students involved and their families to address the situation. The school also noted that HPD is involved in the matter.
As investigations into both incidents continue, calls for change are growing louder. Some students are urging school administrators and parents to take a more proactive role in identifying, preventing and addressing bullying — on and off campus.
For now, police are continuing to investigate the Wahiawa assault, and
community members are demanding justice, accountability and long-term solutions.
Anyone with information is urged to contact
the Honolulu Police
Department.
