‘A big flame just blew up’ Man stabbed, doused with burning liquid

HONOLULU (KHON2) — A man was hospitalized and another man has been arrested after being accused of trying to stab and then burn the victim.

A witness said bad blood had been brewing between the roommates for a few months.

The landlord and owner of the house in Manoa said he woke up around four in the morning on Thursday hearing his two tenants fighting. He said he then saw the 31-year-old suspect making a torch with a wooden two by four.

“He wrapped some cloth around it and he put some kind of accelerant on it, like a lighter fluid or something like that, and then he put it on the gas stove and lit it up,” said Philmund Lee.

Lee told police the suspect also sprayed lighter fluid on the 67-year-old victim, and then threw the torch by him.

“The thing went ‘poof’, a big flame just blew up. You could see his legs were all blistered and burned,” explained Lee.

The victim was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. Police said the suspect also tried to stab the victim, who Lee referred to as Mac.

“Mac went inside his room. And the guy came after him again so Mac had a baseball bat tried to arm himself, but the guy pushed himself way in again,” said Lee.

HPD arrested the suspect for attempted murder, arson, and resisting arrest. He has not been charged.

Lee adds that the suspect had been hiding behind a tent in the yard when police arrived, and then started arguing with the officers when they tried to arrest him.

“They had like maybe eight cops, trying to hold him down to get the handcuffs behind his back,” said Lee.

Lee says he doesn’t know what started the fight, but the two men had not been getting along for months.

Lee said he doesn’t know what started the fight, but the two men had not been getting along for months.

Neighbors said they’ve raised concerns about the house before, usually a lot of noise, and people going in and out of there during all hours of the night.

“My neighbor right here, he’s a wonderful person. And him and I always come out and just like, ‘what’s going on?'” said Martha Donoso, who lives across the street.

HPD says officers have been sent to that address on numerous occasions. Neighbors are hopeful that the arrest will mean quieter nights ahead.