Hawai‘i Police Department
Area I Criminal Investigation Division
Captain Rio Amon-Wilkins
Phone: (808) 961-2251
Report No.: 23-120657
Media Release
Hawai‘i Island police initiated an attempted murder investigation after a 39-year-old man was shot in his driveway in upper Puna on Saturday afternoon, December 23, 2023.
Shortly after 2:15 p.m. Saturday, Puna patrol officers responded to a residence in the 16-1600 block of Koloa Maoli Road (Road 9), in the Hawaiian Acres subdivision, after receiving a report of a man who had been shot. Responding officers located the victim unconscious on the ground in the driveway of the residence being tended to by several acquaintances.
The 39-year-old man was transported via ambulance to the Hilo Medical Center Emergency Room, where he remains in critical condition.
Detectives from the Area I Criminal Investigation Section responded to the scene, as well as to the hospital, to continue this investigation, which is currently classified as a second-degree attempted murder.
Witnesses who were visiting the victim’s residence told police a vehicle drove partially up the driveway, and as the victim went to inquire who was there, he was shot.
Police have not yet identified a suspect or motive in this case; however, they continue to conduct interviews and search for leads.
Police ask for anyone with information on this incident, or who may have seen a suspicious vehicle in the area, to contact Detective David Poohina of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section, at (808) 961-2385 or email him at David.Poohina@hawaiicounty.gov.
Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. Crime Stoppers is a volunteer program run by ordinary citizens who want to keep their community safe. Crime Stoppers does not record calls or subscribe to any Caller ID service. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.
