Hawai‘i Police Department
Criminal Investigation Division – Area I
Captain Rio Amon-Wilkins
Phone: (808) 961-2251
Report No.: 23-032253
Media Release
Hawai‘i Island police are investigating a shooting incident that occurred fronting a residence on Road 2 in the Hawaiian Acres subdivision in Mountain View, early Saturday evening, April 1, 2023.
On Saturday evening shortly after 5:00 p.m., Puna patrol officers responded to a reported affray at a residence on Road 2. Upon arriving on scene, officers detained two individuals. As officers continued to investigate, it was determined one of the men being detained, a 36-year-old from Mountain View, had an apparent gunshot wound to his shoulder area. He was treated at the scene and later transported via ambulance to the Hilo Medical Center.
The other detained man was arrested and transported to the Pahoa police station where he was interviewed by detectives. He was later released pending further investigation.
Area I Criminal Investigation Section detectives responded to the scene to assist in this investigation, as well as to the Hilo Medical Center to interview the victim with the gunshot wound.
The shooting victim was released from Hilo Medical Center after being treated for a non-life-threatening injury.
According to preliminary accounts of this incident, there was a violent affray involving five to six individuals, several of whom were armed with machetes, when the shooting suspect discharged a firearm and subsequently struck the 36-year-old.
This is an ongoing investigation and detectives are attempting to identify and locate anyone that may have been involved.
Police ask anyone who may have been in the area and witnessed this incident to call the police department’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311 or Detective John Balberde at (808) 961-2386 or john.balberde@hawaiicounty.gov.
