Barricaded Man Taken Safely into Custody

After an over six-hour standoff, police officials were able to take a Kona man safely into custody.

Hawaiʻi County Police initially responded to a home on Ahulani Street in the Kona Coast Subdivision after receiving reports that Richard Gorloff had violated a protective order and threatened his ex-wife earlier that morning.

When officers made contact with the 57-year-old man, he refused to come out of the house and told police that “if they came any closer, he would blow up the residence,” according to a press release from Hawai‘i Police this afternoon.

The release indicates officers on the scene observed that the suspect had a small propane tank and a five-gallon gas can that was open and filled with an unknown liquid.

“The suspect also appeared to be carrying a propane torch that was unlit, and a flint striker used to light the torch,” the release states. “Officers reported smelling propane in the area.”

Lt. James Gusman of the police department’s Special Response Team responded to the home.

Neighboring residents in the immediate area were evacuated for their safety, and the department’s Special Response Team and Crisis Negotiations Team were assigned to respond.

The road from Ho‘okumu and Kie Kie Streets were closed to traffic throughout the duration of the incident.