A Mililani jewelry store was robbed at gunpoint Wednesday in the middle of a crowded shopping center.
Witnesses say the store's owner fought off the suspect while another man, possibly an accomplice, watched from outside.
It was just before 11 A.M. when Sue Choe heard yelling coming from Gold Club and Gifts at the Town Center at Mililani.
"We came out because of the yelling and he was latched on to the guy and they were fighting and then he knocked over the showcase, they both came over the whole showcase came over and then he runs out," said Choe.
The store's owner told police the suspect had a gun.
"He apparently said that he was hit on the head with a gun," said Choe who was stunned as the suspect left the jewelry store. "He walked calmly to the end and then ran."
He was described to be about 6-feet-4-inches tall. Witnesses watched him flee into a nearby community.
"He's a big, big guy," said Choe. "He's wearing a blue shirt he's got black leather gloves on. He had some type of thing on his head."
Another man who was standing outside the store calmly walked toward the parking lot and disappeared. He was described as a heavy-set man weighing about 250 pounds.
"Very scary, very scary, said Choe. "The owner is a tough guy, he's a tough, I mean small little man and he's taking on this big guy, he's latched on and his fighting and he's yelling and screaming."
Officers focused an intensive search on Lauawa Street, less than two blocks from the shopping center.
"According to the officers a large local male was seen coming through the street down here on Holani and Lauawa Street," said Scott Kekumano.
"The cop he said somebody when rob the jewelry store across the street and they said they last seen him on this street," said Bonilla. "The cop said he had one gun."
While HPD's chopper searched from above, armed officers searched by foot.
"They've been just going back and forth criss-crossing the street, going house to house," said Kekumano. "There's two jewelry stores located in the shopping center and their both brothers and they been there quite some time. It's sad to see, hard working people get taken advantage of."
Mililani High School was placed under lockdown for about 30 minutes. Students were released from school at 1 P.M.
"It's extremely nerve racking," said Choe. "Totally because he's in the neighborhood and he has a gun, so yeah it's very spooky."
Choe says she feels for neighbor because he's been hit twice in less than a year.
"The last time I think he was just bashed, bashed into the showcase," she said.
Nearly two hours later, HPD released its perimeters. The suspect had escaped but left behind a clue. Sources say surveillance video in the jewelry store captured clear images of the gunman.
