Big Island police are investigating a fatal shooting in Puna.
Big Island police are investigating a fatal shooting in Puna.
On Monday afternoon at about 2:19 p.m., police responded to a call of a shooting victim found in a home on Maui Street in the Nanawale Estates subdivision.
Police and Hawaii Fire Department medics responded to the location. Upon their arrival, the body of a male victim was found within the residence, police said.
Police secured the scene, and detectives from the Area I Criminal Investigations Section responded to the location to further the investigation, police said.
Detectives learned that another man was seen leaving the residence in a dark colored pickup truck and, as a result, police issued an island wide all-points bulletin for both the truck and its operator, who was identified as a suspect.
At 4:41 p.m., acting on a tip, police arrested 43-year-old Seon Keoni Aki of Nanawale Estates at a home in Hawaiian Paradise Park on suspicion of second-degree murder.
He is being held at the cellblock while detectives continue the investigation.
Police are withholding the release of the victim’s name pending positive identification and notification of the next of kin.
An autopsy is scheduled for today to determine the exact cause of death.
Police ask that anyone who may have witnesses the shooting contact Detective Derek Morimoto at 961-2380 or dmorimoto@co.hawaii.hi.us or Detective Robert Almeida at 961-2386 or ralmeida@co.hawaii.hi.us.
Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. Crime Stoppers is a volunteer program run by ordinary citizens who want to keep their community safe. Crime Stoppers doesn’t record calls or subscribe to caller ID. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.
See Wednesday’s Tribune-Herald for more details about this story.