HILO — A 49-year-old Mountain View man faces multiple felony charges in connection with a shooting that left three men injured, one critically, Sunday evening at Isaac Hale Beach Park near the Pohoiki boat ramp in lower Puna.
Police Lt. Miles Chong of the Hilo Criminal Investigations Section said Rodney Wilbur Sr. was charged at 2:45 p.m. Tuesday with attempted second-degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a separate felony, prohibited possession of a firearm and illegally carrying a pistol.
Wilbur’s bail is set at $275,000. His initial court appearance is scheduled for today, although it will be set for a later date should he post bail.
Investigators determined that an early evening confrontation between two groups of people during led to the gunfire that injured three Puna men.
All were taken to Hilo Medical Center. The most seriously injured, a 35-year-old Pahoa man, was later flown to The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu where he remains in critical condition. The others, Mountain View men ages 25 and 27, remain in stable condition in Hilo Medical Center.
According to police, witnesses said Wilbur was the shooter responsible for the 35-year-old victim’s injuries. He was arrested at the corner of Highway 132 and Pohoiki Road shortly after leaving the scene.
The other suspect in the shooting, 36-year-old Tyson Keola Lewi, remains in custody. Originally booked on suspicion of first-degree assault after turning himself into police on Monday, he is now booked on suspicion of attempted second-degree murder.
“That is for the two other victims,” Chong said.
Police have until 3 p.m. today to charge Lewi or they are required by law to release him from custody pending further investigation.
Chong said investigators are “still taking a look at whether there are any more (shooters) involved.”
According to Chong, detectives haven’t yet determined if Wilbur and Lewi were in the same or opposing factions in the dispute that led to the shooting.
“It didn’t appear that they were working together,” he said.
After the victims were taken to Hilo Medical Center, police were called to the medical facility Sunday night to quell a disturbance Lt. Robert Almeida of Hilo Patrol Division said “appeared to be related” to the shooting victims’ presence at the hospital.
HMC spokeswoman Elena Cabatu confirmed Monday the emergency room was put on lockdown status until those involved in the dispute were escorted from the premises.
“With every trauma activation, it’s a unique situation. In this case, we determined that it was an appropriate and prudent thing to put our ER in lockdown for the safety for our patients and staff,” Cabatu said.
Potential witnesses, anyone in possession of video recording of the incident or who has other information about the shooting, is asked to call the police non-emergency line at 935-3311 or contact Detective Scott Amaral at 961-2384 or Scott.Amaral@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.