HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT
HILO CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION DIVISION
CAPTAIN SAMUEL THOMAS
PHONE: 961-2251
FEBRUARY 21, 2003
MEDIA RELEASE UPDATE
A gunman holed up in a hotel room and who kept police at bay for more than 18 hours left the hotel room and surrendered to police without incident at 9:45 a.m. Friday (February 21, 2003).
He was then taken to the Hilo Medical Center for treatment of injuries he sustained while fleeing from police.
The 33-year-old gunman originally took a 51-year-old male hostage, but released him after negotiating with police.
The ordeal began about 6:30 p.m. Thursday when Hawaii County police received information that a felon wanted on several warrants had been located at the Naniloa Hotel. On further investigation, it was determined that the fugitive had a handgun.
Police officers attempted to apprehend the suspect, who fled and subsequently took a male visitor hostage and barricaded himself and the hostage in an eighth-floor room at the hotel.
The police Special Response Team (SRT) and hostage negotiators responded to the incdent. After several hours, police negotiators convinced the gunman to release the hostage unharmed.
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