Hawai‘i Police Department
South Hilo Patrol
Officer Joshua Rodby-Tomas
Phone: (808) 935-3311
Report No.: 23-001325
Media Release
Hawai‘i Island police have arrested two adults and three juveniles after a report of a large affray in downtown Hilo on Wednesday afternoon, January 4, 2023.
At 4:21 p.m. on Wednesday, Central Dispatch received multiple calls reporting a large affray in the area of the 100 block of Kino‘ole Street in which it was reported people were yelling, throwing rocks, and brandishing weapons, including a knife and possibly a rifle.
When police responded to the scene they discovered more than 20 people in the parking lot of a residential building.
As some officers conducted crowd control, other officers began investigating the scene and observed a 13-year-old male holding a knife. In the course of investigation, police determined that the 13-year-old had been yelling at others in a threatening manner causing alarm. The teen was subsequently arrested for disorderly conduct.
As they continued their investigation, police further determined that a 35-year-old Hilo man was involved in an affray with two juvenile males, a 15-year-old and a 17-year-old, who punched, kicked, and threw a rock at the 35-year-old man, causing minor injuries to the victim. The two teen males were arrested for assault.
During the incident, 22-year-old Jason Isope, of Hilo, picked up a large rock in the presence of officers and approached a group of bystanders in a threatening manner. He was subsequently arrested and charged for disorderly conduct.
While interviewing witnesses, officers learned an adult male had been seen brandishing and pointing what appeared to be a rifle at people and was then seen retreating into the residential building.
After conducting a search of the area for the armed man, officers located 27-year-old Jimbo Encher, of Hilo, who was identified as the male with the rifle. They also recovered two rifle-shaped pellet guns. Encher was subsequently arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree terroristic threatening.
The three male teens who were arrested as a result of this incident were released to their parents pending further investigation.
Police are asking anyone with information regarding this incident to contact Officer Joshua Rodby-Tomas at (808) 935-3311 or Joshua.rodby-tomas@hawaiicounty.gov.
