An alleged knife-wielding assailant is in police custody after being arrested Wednesday afternoon at the Hilo Walmart.
At about 3:32 p.m. Wednesday, officers responded to a report of an affray in the parking lot of the big-box store on Makaala Street.
“About 4 o’clock, the parking lot looked like a cop convention,” said a source who requested anonymity.
Responding officers discovered a 32-year-old man, David James Nall, who has no permanent address, was being restrained by others, including Walmart employees. Another source told the Tribune-Herald that Nall had been subdued and disarmed of a knife by “a (shopping) cart pusher.”
A third identified the employee who reportedly disarmed the suspect as Wayne Yamashita.
Nall, who sustained lacerations to his head, was originally arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct.
Police later located a 34-year-old Hilo man, who reported that he and an unknown man — later identified as Nall — had engaged in a physical confrontation and Nall assaulted him with a knife. The victim left the scene and went by private vehicle to Hilo Medical Center for treatment of lacerations to his head, which are not life-threatening.
As a result, police also booked Nall on suspicion of second-degree assault, a felony, second-degree terroristic threatening, and fourth-degree criminal property damage.
Nall is being held in the Hilo police cellblock while detectives investigate the incident.
Potential witnesses are asked to call Detective Clarence Davies at 961-2383 or email him at clarence.davies@hawaiicounty.gov. Those who prefer anonymity may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
