Police-Involved Shooting in Puna Under Investigation

The Hawai’i Police Department is investigating an officer-involved shooting in the Puna District on Tuesday.

Puna Patrol officers, who were along Highway 11 attending to an unrelated incident, attempted to stop a stolen vehicle traveling south on Highway 11 Tuesday. According to police, the vehicle was just south of the Kulani Road intersection in Mt. View when it began to speed towards officers in a threatening manner.

An officer on the scene fired one shot toward the vehicle as it continued southbound on Highway 11 towards the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.

HPD is asking for the public’s assistance in locating the stolen vehicle, described as a 1989 black Nissan hard body single-cab pickup, with license plate number ZBC-027. The vehicle is also slightly lifted with over-sized tires and has a mesh type tailgate and a red, yellow, and green sticker on the driver’s side rear window.

The Police Department’s Area I Criminal Investigation Section will conduct a criminal investigation into the shooting and the Office of Professional Standards will conduct an administrative investigation. These investigations are standard practice in any officer-involved shooting.

Individuals who have information on the location of the vehicle or the identity of the suspects are asked to call the HPD non-emergency line at 935-3311.

Those who prefer to remain anonymous can call the Big Island Crime Stoppers number at 961-8300.