Police yet to apprehend man in Puna shooting

Hawaii Island police are investigating a reported shooting on Saturday in the Puna District.

Around 11:07 a.m. Saturday, police responded to a call of an in-progress threat incident in the Eden Roc subdivision in Mountain View involving a man brandishing a machete, according to the Hawaii Police Department. Responding officers arriving on 6th Street discovered a 30-year-old man with apparent gunshot wounds after he stopped his tow truck to inform police what happened.

The 30-year-old man was taken to Hilo Medical Center in serious condition where he was treated for the injuries and subsequently released. He was then arrested for unrelated warrants and remains in the police cellblock.

Detectives from the Area I Criminal Investigations Section are continuing the investigation, which is classified as a second-degree attempted murder.

Detectives do not have a suspect in custody but are looking for a local male known as “Dennis,” who is described as between 40 and 50 years old, with short salt-and-pepper hair and a mustache. He was last seen wearing jeans shorts.

Police ask anyone with information about the incident or anyone who may have witnessed it to contact Detective Dean Uyetake at 961-2379 or deuyetake@co.hawaii.hi.us or Detective John Rodrigues Jr. at 961-8222 or jrodrigues@co.hawaii.hi.us.

Those who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or Kona and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. Crime Stoppers is a volunteer program run by ordinary citizens who want to keep their community safe. Crime Stoppers doesn’t record calls or subscribe to caller ID. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.