KAILUA-KONA — Hawaii Island police are investigating two officer-involved shooting incidents that occurred Thursday in the areas of Keauhou and Napoopoo Road.
At about 4:58 p.m., police received a tip that fugitive Justin Waiki was possibly sighted within a primer-colored Toyota pickup truck with unknown license plates within the parking lot of 75-1015 Henry St. in Kailua-Kona, according to the Hawaii Police Department.
Additional information indicated the truck was last seen traveling westbound on Henry Street. Officers immediately responded and began conducting checks for the vehicle, according to police.
At approximately 5:19 p.m., officers spotted a vehicle matching the description. The vehicle was initially parked on Makolea Street in the area located above Kahaluu Beach and then relocated into the upper parking lot of 78-6725 Makolea St. (Ka Hale Kahaluu housing), police said.
Officers approached the vehicle and observed a male individual seated in the driver’s seat and a female individual in the passenger’s seat. Officers gave verbal commands to the occupants when the man initially drove towards the officers’ and reversed onto the lawn fronting the housing complex. One of the officers then repositioned himself at which time the vehicle began moving forward at a high rate of speed in the direction of where the officer was standing, police said.
The officer discharged three shots at the suspect vehicle, however, the vehicle continued to flee the scene toward Alii Drive, police said.
Officers continued to pursue the vehicle southbound, onto the Mamalahoa Bypass Road, and down Napoopoo Road. As the vehicle was traveling westbound on Napoopoo Road, another officer positioned his vehicle on the roadway and stood outside of his vehicle as the suspect vehicle approached the officer’s stationary location. As the suspect vehicle approached the officer’s position, the suspect drove the vehicle towards the officer, police said.
Police said the officer discharged 10 shots at the suspect vehicle, however, the vehicle continued to flee the scene towards Middle Keei Road.
The vehicle continued onto Middle Keei Road and was eventually abandoned in a private coffee field on Keala Makua Place in Honaunau. The two occupants then fled the immediate area on foot into lava fields and thick brush. Extensive searches of the area were conducted and two suspects were located and taken into custody without further incident.
Elisa Trapp, who saw the arrests, told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that the woman and man were handcuffed and separated on opposite sides of the road, and the man appeared to be covered “head to toe” in blood.
“And then the ambulance pulls up in the middle of them, and there’s cops everywhere,” she told the newspaper.
Checks of the suspect vehicle revealed the truck displayed stolen license plates and the truck was reported stolen earlier in the day from Hilo.
The suspects are identified as 25-year-old Harvey Damo Jr. and 25-year-old Shevylyn Klaus, both of Hilo. Both were taken into custody for second-degree theft.
Police tell West Hawaii Today that investigators are working to figure out if if Damo or Klaus are known associates of Waiki. They are also working to find evidence that would confirm or deny Waiki was in the pickup truck.
The investigation of Thursday’s incident is ongoing.
No new information about the suspected whereabouts of Waiki has been revealed.
Damo received medical treatment at the Kona Community Hospital for a nonlife-threatening gunshot wound. He was released from the hospital and along with Klaus remains in custody at the Kealakehe Police Station pending continuing investigation by detectives with the Area II Criminal Investigation Section.
Both officers have been placed on administrative leave as is standard practice in any officer-involved shooting. The Police Department’s Area II Criminal Investigations Section will conduct a criminal investigation into the shooting, and the Office of Professional Standards will conduct an administrative investigation.
Police ask anyone with any information about this incident to call the department’s nonemergency line at (808) 935-3311 or contact Detective Pernell Hanoa at (808) 326-4646 ext. 281 or via email at Pernell.Hanoa@hawaiicounty.gov.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.