Hilo Man Charged With Attempted Murder in Stabbing Incident

A Hilo man faces several charges, including attempted murder, stemming from a stabbing incident that allegedly involved a pair of scissors.

Hawaiʻi County Prosecuting Attorney Kelden Waltjen announced that 22-year-old Tchok Atario, aka Jtok Atarino, was arrested and charged with second-degree attempted murder, second-degree assault and first-degree terroristic threatening in connection with a Tuesday, June 14, stabbing on the property of the Church of the Holy Apostles Episcopal Church on Kapiʻolani Street in Hilo.

The most serious offense, second-degree attempted murder, is punishable by life in prison with the possibility of parole. Second-degree assault and first-degree terroristic threatening are Class C felonies, punishable by a maximum of five years in prison.

Atario is scheduled to make his initial appearance today (Thursday, June 16) in Hilo District Court. He remains in custody in lieu of $270,000 bail.

According to the Hawaiʻi Police Department, at 12:46 a.m. Tuesday, South Hilo Patrol officers responded to a report of a female being stabbed at a location in the 1400 block of Kapiʻolani Street. Officers located the 25-year-old female victim at an adjacent apartment complex, where she reported being stabbed in the head and arm by a man known to her who left on foot prior to officers’ arrival.

The victim was transported to Hilo Medical Center and then to Queen’s Medical Center on Oʻahu for further treatment, where she remains in stable condition.

According to police, while officers were still near the scene, a witness saw the suspect on foot and police arrested Atario. Detectives from the Area I Criminal Investigation Section continued the investigation and charged Atario after conferring with the county prosecutor’s office Wednesday, June 15.

The preliminary investigation was handled by HPD Officers Blaine Kenolio, Lam Doan and Lawrence Kobayashi with the South Hilo Patrol, and the felony investigation was handled by HPD Detective John Balberde with the Area I Criminal Investigation Section. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy County Prosecuting Attorney Heipua Ah Loy.