Hawaiʻi Police Department
Office of the Chief
Police Chief Harry S. Kubojiri
Phone: 961-2243
Media Release
Officers Joshua Gouveia and Garrett Hatada were both awarded the Police Cross this morning by Police Chief Harry S. Kubojiri. The award was presented as a result of both officers having sustained gunshot wounds in connection with an incident that occurred earlier this year. During the presentation, Police Chief Harry S. Kubojiri remarked how one of Officer Gouveia’s first thoughts after getting shot was his concern for the safety of other officers at the scene. Chief Kubojiri also related how Officer Hatada fired at the assailant in protection of others at the scene and did not mention his own gunshot wounds until several minutes later.
On Wednesday, January 2, 2013 at 7:44 p.m., police responded to a report of several gunshots heard in the area of Kilauea Avenue near the Wailoa River in Hilo. At approximately 8:52 p.m., while checking parked vehicles in the area of the 800 block of Kilauea Avenue, officers observed a man hiding under a parked vehicle. Upon approaching him, Officers Gouveia and Hatada were fired upon and sustained gunshot injuries. One of the officers was able to return fire. The suspect, 31-year-old Keaka D. Martin of Hilo, fled the area on foot and was captured the next day.
Martin was charged on January 4, 2013 with two counts of first-degree attempted murder, second-degree reckless endangering, place to keep a firearm, possessing a loaded firearm on a highway, two counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, ownership/possession of a firearm prohibited, and altering the identification markings on a firearm.