Officer involved shooting on Big Island

KALOPA, Hawaii (KHON2) — Hawai’i Island police have issued an advisory.

There is police activity in the Lower Kalopa area of Hamakua district.

HPD have asked that residents and visitors avoid the area as police are actively searching for a wanted male suspect.

Hawai’i Police Department said they are searching for an armed suspect that was last seen on foot in the area of Highway 19 near the 40 mile marker, Lower Kalopa area of Hamakua district.

The suspect was last seen wearing a plaid shirt and jeans.

Police said that he is 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighs 215 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes and has a distinctive tattoo on his right cheek near his eye that reads “greed”.

Hawai’i Police Department said the suspect is armed and considered dangerous.

Avoid the area while the search ensues and report any suspicious activity immediately to 911.

Police said that they responded to a report of a 42-year-old woman who had been shot during a domestic dispute. She sought medical attention at the Ocean View Fire Station for the a gunshot wound. She ended up being taken for treatment to Kona Community Hospital. She remains in stable condition.

The suspect was identified by Detectives with the Area II Juvenile Aid Section as 44-year-old Ronald Patrick Keahonui Kahihikolo. He is wanted for his connection to the attempted murder; he also has outstanding bench warrants.

Plainclothes Area II Vice detectives commenced an investigation into the incident, and they received information that Kahihikolo was in the Kona area and that he is traveling with several individuals who are in possession of stolen vehicles. The stolen vehicles are a silver Chevy Malibu and a white Dodge sedan.

Police said that as vice detectives were canvassing the area they observed a Chevy Malibu traveling on Kamakaeha Avenue. Police attempted to contact the occupants of the vehicle at the intersection of Kamakaeha Avenue and Palani Road, but they ignored police requests.

According to police, the male driver would not show his hands and reached for an unknown object. Police said they feared for their life causing them to discharge their weapons and striking the driver.

The shots did not immobilize the driver or the vehicle. Instead, the driver drove the Malibu across all lanes of Palani Road and didn’t come to a stop until going down the embankment.

Following the vehicle down the embankment, detectives saw that the driver, 32-year-old Kainoa Kahele-Bishop of Kailua-Kona, was injured and attempted to save his life. The driver died on the scene, and investigators recovered multiple firearms from the vehicle.

His passenger was 26-year-old Jacqueline Keanaaina of Kailua-Kona. She suffered minor injuries due to the traffic crash. She was treated by Hawaii Fire Department medics and was then arrested for her own outstanding warrants. She was transported to Kealakehe Police Station.

Police said they pursued Kahihikolo through Waimea; he exited Highway 19 near the 40-mile marker, in Lower Kalopa in Hāmākua.

Hawai’i Island police continue to search for Kahihikolo who is considered armed and dangerous. Avoid the area and report any suspicious activity in the area to 911.

Hawai’i Police Department stated, “The Office of Professional Standards has initiated an internal administrative investigation. The involved detectives are 25-year and 13-year veterans, respectively, and will be placed on administrative leave pending an internal review of this incident.”