Big Island police are investigating an incident involving a spear gun that occurred in Puna which left one person critically injured.
Big Island police are investigating an incident involving a spear gun that occurred in Puna which left one person critically injured.
On Tuesday at about 10:15 p.m., police responded to a call of a 20-year-old Pahoa man who was shot with a spear gun during a confrontation on Leilani Avenue in the Leilani Estates Subdivision.
Police and fire department medics responded to the location and stabilized the victim at the scene before transporting him to the Hilo Medical Center.
Police said a 61-year-old female sustained a non life-threatening injury to her lower leg during the confrontation after being struck by a large rock. She was also transported to the Hilo Medical Center for treatment and was subsequently released.
Officers arrested George Robert Curnutt, 49, of Pahoa for second-degree attempted murder. He is being held in the police cellblock while detectives from the Area I Criminal Investigation Section continue the investigation.
The victim underwent surgery at the medical center and he remains in critical condition.
Police ask that anyone who may have witnessed the incident to call Detective Fetuutuunai Amuimuia at 961-2278 or email him at famuimuia@co.hawaii.hi.us or Detective Todd Pataray at 961-2382 or email him at tpataray@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.