Off-duty officer injured, suspect wounded in Makaha shooting
By Mary Vorsino
MAKAHA — An off-duty police officer shot a 25-year-old man this morning at the Makaha 7-Eleven after the suspect attacked him and threatened to kill him, police said.
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Police said the incident happened about 5:10 a.m. after the officer left the 7-Eleven with a cup of coffee.
Honolulu police Maj. Frank Fujii said the suspect started attacking the officer as he sat in his car ready to drive away.
The officer, a 21-year HPD veteran assigned to the Kalihi station, was close to blacking out when he pulled out his personal gun and shot at the suspect two to three times, Fujii said. It's unclear how many shots hit the suspect.
The suspect fled in a white Honda with four other people in it, but was stopped shortly afterward at the Waianae Store on Farrington Highway.
One person in the car was arrested on outstanding warrants, police said.
The suspect was in stable condition when he was taken to an area hospital, Fujii said. The officer also was taken to a hospital for his injuries, which included severe bruising to his face.
The motive for the attack is still under investigation, but a source said it's believed the officer was attacked because the suspect knew he was with HPD.
Although the officer was not wearing a uniform, he was in an unmarked subsidized police vehicle.