UPDATED – (August 26 at 12:45 p.m.)

• A police officer’s service weapon was discharged during a Thursday afternoon incident in Kona, but there were no reported injuries.
• Several individuals were arrested for the suspected theft of “a large quantity of high value items” from a business establishment in the 73-5000 block of Olowalu Street.
• The officer who discharged his weapon, said to be a 7-year veteran of the department, was placed on administrative leave pending the completion of an administrative investigation.

From the Hawaiʻi Police Department:

Hawai‘i Island police are investigating an incident that occurred in Kailua-Kona involving the discharge of a weapon by an on-duty officer on Thursday afternoon, August 25, 2022, shortly after 5:20 p.m.

Officers from the Area II Vice Section were conducting operations at a business establishment in the 73-5000 block of Olowalu Street when they observed several parties exiting the business with a large quantity of high value items. The individuals appeared to be trying to quickly load the items into a vehicle and leave the area.

Officers attempted to contact the parties to further investigate the incident. As officers approached the vehicle and identified themselves as police officers, the driver of the vehicle abruptly reversed in an attempt to flee the area. Officers ran after the vehicle, which stopped, and they attempted to make contact a second time. As officers again identified themselves as police officers and attempted to remove the parties from the vehicle an officer’s service weapon was discharged.

All occupants were removed from the vehicle and subsequently arrested for Theft. They currently remain at the Kealakehe Police Station pending the completion of this investigation.

None of the officers or suspects were injured during the confrontation with the vehicle or from the weapon discharge.

The officer who discharged his weapon is 7-year veteran of the department. As is standard procedure, the officer was placed on administrative leave pending the completion of the administrative investigation.

Detectives from the Area II Criminal Investigation Section responded to the scene and are continuing the investigation, which is currently classified as a Theft.

Detectives from the Office of Professional Standards are also conducting an independent administrative investigation as the result of the weapon discharge.

Anyone who may have seen the incident or may have any other information about this incident is asked to call Detective Sheldon Nakamoto at (808) 326-4646 ext. 228 or email Sheldon.Nakamoto@hawaiicounty.gov.