Police shoot, kill 2nd armed fugitive in a week in Hilo
DARYL LEE / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER
Police investigated the scene of a police-involved shooting in Hilo Tuesday night.
COURTESY HAWAII COUNTY POLICE
Scottie Yanagawa
Another armed fugitive was was shot and killed by Hawaii County police Tuesday night in Hilo — the second within a week.
The shooting took place in the parking lot of the Walmart store at the Waiakea Shopping Center. A 30-year-old Pahoa woman who was driving the vehicle was arrested, police said.
Police did not release the name of the victim whom they said was a passenger in the vehicle and opened fire at police.
However, the Hawaii Tribune-Hearld said the dead suspect is 29-year-old Scottie Yanagawa, wanted by police for questioning in a Jan. 31 shooting at Honolii and for furlough escape from Hale Nani Correctional Facility on Nov. 19.
Police said that at 10:40 p.m., a known fugitive shot at officers who had stopped a Toyota minivan, which they believed was driven by the fugitive who was believed to be armed and dangerous.
The occupants of the vehicle, a female driver and male front-seat passenger, were ordered to leave the vehicle. The male passenger, while exiting the passenger side of the vehicle drew a handgun and fired a round, police said. Officers returned fire, fatally injuring the passenger.
The female driver of the vehicle was uninjured and arrested at the scene on suspicion of hindering prosecution for having aiding a wanted fugitive. She is being held at the Hilo police cellblock pending further investigation.
The four officers who fired their weapons have 14, 12, seven and six years of experience. They have been placed on administrative leave.
Both a criminal and administrative hearing have been initiated.
Police ask anyone who witnessed the incident to contact Detective Joel Field at 961-2361.
On Friday, Ronald Barawis Jr., who was wanted by police, was shot and killed in the parking lot of the McDonald’s at the Puainako Shopping Center.
Barawis, 38, had a shotgun, rifle and two semi-automatic guns within reach in the car he was driving, police said.
Barawis, who was being sought for questioning in a Dec. 29 attempted murder case, tried to evade police and allegedly drove at an officer before ramming two police vehicles, police said.
His front-seat passenger, a 28-year-old Mountain View woman, was taken to Hilo Medical Center and later transported to the Queen’s Medical Center.
Both Barawis and the woman sustained several gunshot wounds, police said.
The officers who fired their weapons have 20, 15 and six years of experience, and were placed on paid administrative leave.
Criminal and administrative investigations by the department’s professional-standards division have been initiated.
49 responses to “Police shoot, kill 2nd armed fugitive in a week in Hilo”
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Tough way to get “paid-leave”, use your gun. In this case 3. Force can dwindle down to none if there is high incidence of shootings? Call out the National Guard?
“They have been placed on administrative leave.” Why such nonsense and waste of manpower? Let them continue after giving them a recommendation.
Pahoa is a dangerous, lawless area. One has to feel sorry for those who live on that island. Dengue fever, joblessness, no telescopes, lawlessness, a horrible mayor, etc.
Much like the 3 affliated area huh!?
No. I am welcomed by my tribal world. Tribal leadership has assured me of a job if KS does not come through. Good people.
Really, which ones: the ones that are federally indicted! Or the ones that allowed sex traffic on tribal lands?
You know nothing about Pahoa. The shootings were in Hilo anyways. Don’t feel sorry for us. We’re glad we’re here in this wonderful place and away from the crazy city life.
Amen to that! I’ll take my chances with country folks anytime.
Wish you felt that way about the whole state…
It was not in Pahoa. It was in Hlio.
The dude shot first. Press release said suspect was fatally injured.
Two shooters who were Proven menaces to society. OFF the street and off the planet. Good job HPD!
Good job being crack shots! 2 less unwanteds who cost taxpayers money and/or steal/harm the public. I commend the officers doing their job
save the tax payer money by not having to pay for trial and jail. Im good with it.
Don’t upset the Hawaiian Goddess. Otherwise, she is going to pour poi over our heads.
Now you know where all the “confiscated” METH is going…
What the heck are you talking about? Known felons coming out shooting, good job by police!
Two turds we here on the Big Island do not have to worry about.
Condolences to the family of the deceased but no further crime by this individual and all officers go home safe is a good ending in my books.
Crime does not pay
maybe not for the criminal but some of their families may reap the rewards.
Sounds like a justified shoot to me?
What is going on in Hilo, and the Big Island in general? There seems to be an huge increase in violence like this, and crime. (And of course Dengue fever on the Kona side). Hawaii Island used to be much more laid back than Oahu, but I guess no more. I know people — both mainland tourists and Oahu locals — who have canceled trips there because of all of this.
Because Big Island is cheap riffraff tends to accumulate there more than in expensive areas.
Those laid back days are gone now.
No need to cancel trips, unless the visitor is a felon looking for trouble.
If you feel safe in doing so…take a trip to the Big Island and drive out to the outskirts of Hilo proper. There has been a tremendous influx of new residents in many areas (i.e. Puna)… you can then make your way out to Ka’u (i.e. Hawaii Ocean View Estates)…then make your way to Kona…tremendous change. You then get a feeling for what’s been happening. There is the Hamakua coast which is not too bad or the South Kohala area…but all subject to change. Be Safe…
Here is what is going on in Hilo: Go to the Hawaii Business News and look up the article on Hawaii’s affluence. Also noted in that edition is a piece on Hawaii’s poorest places. It is no surprise that 4 out of the 5 poorest places in the state are on the Big Island. Mountain View (Hawaiian Acres, Fern Acres, N. Kulani, Edan Roc, Aloha estates), Keaau (HPP, Orchidland, Ainaloa), Pahoa (Leilani, Nanawale, Hawaiian Beaches), and Ocean View in Ka’u. The only non-big island locale to make the list is Makaha on Oahu. Poverty is the root of everything negative going on on the Big Island. To blame the drugs and people is only one piece of a much larger problem. Having good schools would be a great start.
That’s kind of what I expected — mahalo for the information
agree…Tourism will decline as word eventually gets out. Housing will decline in value. Puna area is just horrible but it is not the only part of the island having troubles.
Where are you getting your bogus information Allie. You are spending too much time bad mouthing Puna. We love it here and are glad that law enforcement are doing their jobs.
Allie is the rare combination of both lazy and a pillock.
Stop this administrative leave stuff. If the armed person shots are HPD by all mean shot to kill. HPD should not waste taxpayers money by putting these officers on ALWP. They did their jobs. All is good.
Good guys 2. Bad guys and Defense Attorney’s 0. Keep up the good work HPD!
HAHA! They are on a roll
Felon, felon in possession of gun, gun pointed at police, police neutralize the threat. What is the problem? There is no problem, review quickly and put the police back on regular duty.
Just want to say thank you to the officers in these 2 incidents for placing themselves in harms way to protect the public.
Condolences to Family and Friends. Regarding those shot…if you fire on anyone…let alone draw your weapon don’t expect to go unscathed. This applies to accompany same who are with same.
The Big Island has changed so much over the past 20+ years…East and West side. Having Family on the Big Island really makes it really uncomfortable seeing how the comment made several years ago of the “Wild Wild West” flowing over into what was the old safe Hilo Town. In the future I don’t think the Big Island may be considered as a retirement option…too many high risk conditions surround the Community…sad.
Very sad. Unemployment, drugs, etc all contributes. Many factors, very sad. Glad to hear police officer not injured.
Yup one less ice head to worry about
Scary Hilo side.
New ID, Allie?
nope..just another truth teller out there
The police did their job, seems like a good job. No officer wants to kill someone but sometimes it is necessary in order to protect the public and themselves. Now I’m waiting for the family of these two criminals to sue the city and pronounce the “virtues” of these two and they didn’t have to be killed. LOL
agree
Good way to keep the prison population down.
Golf clap.
Just saw on TV two deputy sheriffs killed in Maryland. I would hate to be a police officer–look at Ferguson–the justice department is suing them to change their police force system–it will cost the city over $3,000,000–bankruptcy around the corner. All because of “poor” innocent Brown.
Nah, all because of years where the FPD raked in revenue from manini violations, and most all of it at the expense of black residents. The department was full of corruption due to these practices and the Brown shooting only blew the lid off it. Thank God for the DOJ.