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Steven Kaio
...charged with first-degree assault

Media Release (update No. 2)

Hawaii County police have charged a Puna man with assault and four weapons offenses in connection with a shooting in the Orchidland subdivision Thursday night (February 14).

Steven Kaio, 38, of Orchidland was charged Saturday afternoon (February 16) with first-degree assault, use of a firearm in commission of a felony and three counts of ownership of firearms prohibited.

He is being held at the Hilo police cellblock in lieu of $100,000 bail until his arraignment scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.

Puna patrol officers were summoned at approximately 7:30 p.m. Thursday to the 35^th Avenue home of the 51-year-old male victim of a single gunshot wound to the head. Fire/rescue personnel took the victim to Hilo Medical Center. He remains in the hospital's intensive care unit in guarded condition.

The case was initially being investigated as an attempted murder. It was reclassified to a first-degree assault after further investigation.