A police-involved shooting at about midnight behind the McDonald’s restaurant at Puainako Town Center in Hilo has left a man dead and a woman hospitalized in critical condition, police said.
According to a police statement, at about 12:20 a.m., officers were investigating a possible sighting of a sought-after fugitive who was known to be armed and dangerous.
Police say officers found the suspect driving a car in McDonald’s drive-through, and when officers commanded him to get out of the car, the man drove over the drive-through’s barrier curb, accelerated, drove directly at an officer and then rammed into two police vehicles.
According to Assistant Police Chief Henry Tavares, four officers were at the scene and three fired at the suspect’s car, killing the driver and injuring his front-seat woman passenger.
The woman was taken to Hilo Medical Center, where at last report she remained in critical condition.
No one else was injured, police said.
Tavares said the man “was wanted on two active bench warrants and on an all-points bulletin for arrest for questioning a reckless endangering case in Kona that occurred on Jan. 20.”
Asked if the woman was wanted by police, Tavares replied, “Our interest was the male party.”
“At this point, we believe the suspect was armed. It’s still unknown if he fired at the officers.” Tavares said.
The identity of the fatally injured suspect is being withheld at this time pending notification of next of kin.
The officers who fired their weapons have 20, 15, and six years of experience with the Hawaii Police Department.
Tavares said those officers have been put on paid administrative leave. The Hilo Criminal Investigations Section will conduct a criminal investigation into the shooting and the Office of Professional Standards — the department’s internal affairs unit — will conduct an administrative investigation.
Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to contact Detective Grant Todd at 961-2385, Detective Dean Uyetake at 961-2379 or Crime Stoppers at 961-8300.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available. See tomorrow’s edition for full story.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
