June 5, 2010 – Kealakekua, Hawaii
The following media release has been issued by the Hawaii County Police Department:
Big Island police are investigating a shooting at Kona Community Hospital on Friday (June 4) as a suicide.
Kona Patrol officers responded to a 4 p.m. call Friday reporting that a man had a gun in the hospital’s parking lot. While en route, officers received information that witnesses had reported that the man shot himself while still in the parking lot.
Hospital personnel took the victim to the emergency room, where he was pronounced dead at 4:45 p.m.
Police have not positively identified the man, who is believed to be in his mid 50s.
An autopsy is scheduled for Monday to determine the exact cause of death.
Detectives from the Area II Criminal Investigations Section are continuing the investigation.
UPDATE – Big Island police have identified a man who died of an apparent suicide Friday (June 4) at Kona Community Hospital as 53-year-old Gilbert F. Cardenas of Kailua-Kona.
