Police say an on-duty officer fired a shot during an incident in Glenwood Tuesday afternoon.
According to a Hawaii Police Department statement, two plainclothes Special Enforcement Unit officers in an unmarked vehicle were conducting surveillance on a home they say is known to be frequented by “wanted subjects.”
The officers reportedly followed an older-model Honda sedan without license plates to the driveway to the residence and got out of their vehicle to make contact. At that point, police say, the Honda reversed and accelerated toward an officer standing outside the passenger door of the unmarked police vehicle. The officer jumped back as the Honda struck the passenger door, and the other officer discharged his service weapon.
The Honda sedan, which police described as having body panels with different colors, was last seen driving south on Highway 11 toward Volcano. A search by additional officers turned up no signs of the car.
Police say the officer who fired his weapon is a 5-year veteran of the department and the other officer is a 15-year veteran. Neither were injured.
Detectives from Hilo Criminal Investigations Section responded to the scene to investigate the incident, which is currently classified as a first degree attempted murder.
Detectives from the Office of Professional Standards, the department’s Internal Affairs unit, are also conducting an independent administrative investigation as the result of the weapon discharge.
Potential witnesses or anyone who may have seen the Honda is asked to call the police is asked to call Detective William Brown at (808) 961-2384 or email william.brown@hawaiicounty.gov.
Those who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300.