A 50-year-old Hakalau man was arrested Thursday afternoon following what police termed a “firearms incident” earlier in the day in Puna.
John Rodrigues Jr. was arrested on suspicion of three counts of first-degree terroristic threatening and six firearms violations. After conferring with prosecutors, police released Rodrigues pending further investigation, the Hawaii Police Department said.
Initially reported as “gunshots fired” in the Hawaiian Paradise Park subdivision in lower Puna at approximately 10 a.m., responding officers contacted a group of individuals near where the shots were reported and were able to determine that no shots had been fired, although firearms were involved in a confrontation.
Detectives assigned to the Criminal Investigations Section are continuing the investigation and ask that anyone with information about this case call the department’s nonemergency line at 935-3311 or contact Detective Robert Almeida at 961-2386 or robert.almeida@hawaiicounty.gov.
Those who prefer to remain anonymous may call the islandwide Crime Stoppers number at 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.