Man arrested after Honokaa shooting; victim in critical condition

Police have initiated an attempted murder investigation following a shooting incident in Honokaa on Tuesday night that left a 39-year-old man in critical condition.

Shortly after 6 p.m. Tuesday, Hamakua patrol officers responded to a reported shooting on Rickard Place, just off Mamane Street in Honokaa.

Officers located the male victim, who was conscious and being tended to by a bystander, police said. The victim appeared to have injuries to his neck and top of his head. He was immediately transported via ambulance to the North Hawaii Community Hospital and was later flown to the Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu for further treatment.

Police have not yet released the victim’s name.

According to police, a witness at the scene reported that he and the victim were hanging out in the area on Rickard Place, when 29-year-old Keola Jedidiah Whitehead-Shibata of Honokaa showed up.

A short time later, Whitehead-Shibata got upset with the victim, pulled out a handgun, and shot at him multiple times prior to fleeing the area on foot while still in possession of the gun, police said.

Detectives responded to the scene to continue this investigation, which is classified as second-degree attempted murder.

After canvassing the area, police located and arrested Whitehead-Shibata without incident at 8:22 a.m. this morning in a wooded area off Lehua Street in Honokaa.

Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed this incident to contact the police department’s nonemergency number at (808) 935-3311, or Detective Scotty Aloy at (808) 961-2381 or email him at Scotty-Aloy@hawaiicounty.gov.