Big Island police detectives have arrested a suspect in connection with the Friday morning shooting at the Puainako Town Center in Hilo that left a 41-year-old father of three young children dead.
The suspect is identified as 30-year-old Jarvis Rockwell Hung Leung Boots of Mountain View.
Boots was sought for allegedly shooting 41-year-old Benjamin Craig Davidson of Hilo multiple times while he was seated in a vehicle early Friday morning.
Davidson was employed at the Puainako Town Center.
On Saturday evening shortly before 5:30 p.m., detectives located the suspect vehicle at a residence on North Lauko Road in Mountain View.
As police were organizing and surrounding the residence, the vehicle left the driveway, police said.
The vehicle was stopped a short distance away, and Boots, who was in the vehicle alone, was arrested. The vehicle was recovered as evidence and towed to the Hilo Police Station.
This morning, detectives served a warrant on Boots’ vehicle and the North Lauko Road residence. Police allegedly recovered numerous firearms, ammunition and other prohibited weapons.
During the course of this investigation, detectives were able to link Boots and his vehicle to the Dec. 2 shooting near the Papaikou Transfer Station that left a 24-year-old man in critical condition with multiple gunshot wounds. An additional victim, a 50-year-old male, was also shot at but not injured.
Boots is currently being held on second-degree murder for the Friday incident, and first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder for the Dec. 2 incident. Both cases remain under investigation.
Police ask anyone who may have information on the December 2nd incident in Papaikou, or the Friday morning incident at the Puainako Town Center, to call the Police Department’s non-emergency line at 935-3311 or Detective John Balberde at 961-2386 or via email at john.balberde@hawaiicounty.gov.
Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call the islandwide Crime Stoppers number at 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.00. Crime Stoppers is a volunteer program run by ordinary citizens who want to keep their community safe. Crime Stoppers does not record calls or subscribe to any Caller ID service. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.
