Pāhoa Man Charged With Attempted Murder in Officer Shooting Incident

Albert Puʻu. HPD photo.

Hawaiʻi Island police have charged 65-year-old Albert Puʻu, the Pāhoa man arrested yesterday, Feb. 22, 2018, for several offenses in connection with the attempted murder of a police officer in Puna.

At 10:22 p.m., Wednesday evening, Feb. 21, officers were called to a reported assault on Oio Street. As officers approached the suspect’s residence, the suspect fired a single gunshot at police, striking an officer in the thigh. None of the officers present returned fire.

Thursday morning, Feb. 22, Puʻu, of Hawaiian Beaches, was taken into custody without further incident after the department’s Special Response Team located him in a shed behind his Oio Street residence. He was taken to the Hilo cellblock while investigators with the Criminal Investigation Section continued the investigation.

This afternoon, Feb. 23, police charged Puʻu with first-degree attempted murder, use of a firearm in commission of a felony, first-degree reckless endangering, permit to acquire (a firearm), registration of a firearm mandatory, ownership prohibited (of a pistol magazine holding in excess of 10 rounds) and harassment.

Puʻu is being held at the Hilo cellblock in lieu of $515,500 bail pending his initial appearance on Monday afternoon, Feb. 26, in District Court.

The injured officer, a two-year member of the department, remains at the Hilo Medical Center in good condition.

Anyone who may have information about this incident is asked to call the Police Department’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311 or Detective William Brown of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section at (808) 961-23 84 or William.Brown@hawaiicounty.gov.

This information was provided by the authorities. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.