‘We’re going to find you’: Hunt for Puna man who reportedly shot police officer in head continues into second day

The Big Island was gripped in suspense Friday and feeling a head-spinning array of emotions — fear, anger, worry, sadness, confusion, horror, surprise, resolve, even excitement at times — as chaos continued in the aftermath of a 9-year veteran of the Hawaiʻi Police Department East Hawai‘i Vice Unit was reportedly shot twice outside a Hilo bank.

An islandwide manhunt is ongoing for 39-year-old Christopher Lucrisia of Puna, who is wanted for first-degree attempted murder and considered to be armed and dangerous.

Hawai‘i County Mayor Kimo Alameda praised the reponse of Hawai‘i Police Department to one of its own being shot, impressed with the protocols in place and teamwork on display.

“It’s a sad day for us here on the Big Island, but I want you to know that our police department is doing a really, really good job, and I commend them for their service,” the mayor said during a police press conference early Friday evening.

Alameda also had a direct message for Lucrisia and his reported accomplice 23-year-old Silas Zion of Pāhoa.

“We’re going to find you, and we’re going to prosecute you to the full extent,” he said.

The officer was shot twice at about 11 a.m. Friday — once in the right forearm and a second time in the head.

He was later flown to The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu, where he was in serious but stable condition, and was in surgery while Hawai‘i Police Chief Ben Moszkowicz updated media about the incident during the press conference that started at 5:30 p.m.

Moszkowicz reported in a brief video on Instagram shortly after the press conference ended that Zion, who was also wanted for first-degree attempted murder, was arrested just after 6 p.m. without incident.

Zion was driving a white Chevy pickup truck Friday morning, which was parking in the lot outside First Hawaiian Bank near Prince Kūhiō Plaza in Hilo. Hawai‘i Police Department Vice and Crime Reduction Unit personnel wearing equipment labeled “POLICE” were nearby after authorities got word earlier that Lucrisia was in the area.

Police spotted him sitting in the truck’s front passenger seat and approached the vehicle on foot.

After demanding Zion turn off the pickup and not move, Lucrisia is reported to have brandished a handgun and pointed it directly at police, firing at least twice, striking the Vice officer.

A detective nearby returned fire, shooting at least three rounds at Lucrisia before the Chevy immediatly fled the scene toward Kanoelehua Avenue.

It is unknown whether the truck or Lucrisia were struck by the detective’s gunshots.

Police located the Chevy and Zion early Friday evening on Ihope Road in Mountain View, close to the same time as the police press conference was happening. The road was closed for about 4 hours, until shortly before 10 p.m.

Moszkowicz said the truck, which is owned by Zion, would be towed back to the Hilo police station as evidence.

“Thank you so much to the hard-working women and men of the police department and all of our partners who are out there right now, as we speak, putting their lives on the line to bring these people to justice,” said the chief in his video update after Zion’s arrest.

The shooting consumed the Big Island community Friday — in real life and online.

Conversations started with questions about the status of the manhunt and ended with wondering what would happen next. Law enforcement sirens wailing in the distance were cause for pause to check for updates.

Blue lights glowing in the night conjured thoughts of what if the shooter was right down the block.

Post after post across social media platforms kept the dialogue going, from videos captured at the scene outside the bank to people expressing their frustration or anger with the events unfolding, sending prayers for the officer who was shot to recover and thanks to his brothers and sisters in blue for their efforts to bring his reported shooter into custody.

“Me and my coworkers saw this happen outside our workplace when we were taking our smoke break,” wrote Corrine Xochitl Yeverino in reply to a post on Facebook about the incident. “It was crazy.”

Sherece Hawelu wrote she hoped someone would kick the suspects’ butts, to put it nicely.

Honolulu Police Department helped transport the injured Hawai‘i Police Department officer from Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu to The Queen’s Medical Center and pledged its support for him and assistance for Hawai‘i County in any way needed.

“Although we are islands apart, the Honolulu Police Department stands united with our brothers and sisters in blue on the Big Island,” the Honolulu department said in a Facebook post.

“Thanks Honolulu Police Department,” replied JoAnn Tallett in reply. “Watch him. He’s one of our good ones.”

The manhunt for Lucrisia started on foot just after noon Friday in the vicinity of Manono and Leilani streets in north central Hilo Town, about 8 blocks from Hilo Bay and less than a mile south of Hawaiian Style Cafe. The public was asked to avoid the area.

All schools in the Hilo-Waiākea Complex Area were also placed on lockdown at about 11:45 a.m., out of an abundance of caution, because of the shooting, according to a letter from Deputy Complex Area Superintendent Kasie Kaleohano that was sent home with students.

“We want to affirm that at no time were students or staff at risk,” said the letter.

The lockdown was lifted at 12:20 p.m.

Police began clearing homes in the Manono and Leilani street area at 12:42 p.m. as they searched for the 39-year-old suspect. Law enforcement completed its search of homes in the area by 3 p.m. without locating Lucrisia or Zion, so the manhunt was expanded islandwide.

It was also at about this time that the wounded officer was airlifted from Hilo Benioff Medical Center to O‘ahu for further treatment.

Moszkowicz during Friday’s press conference cleared up any confusion about an incident that unfolded at about the same time as the manhunt for Lucrisia and Zion, but was completely unrelated despite reports that circulated throughout the community.

Officers with the Puna District spotted a man resembling Lucrisia driving a dark-colored sedan and attempted a traffic stop. Instead of pulling over, however, the driver of the sedan decided to flee and a brief pursuit ensued in Puna before officers called it off because the driver was driving too dangerously.

The driver continued into Hilo, where officers picked up the pursuit and were eventually able to stop the vehicle. Moszkowicz said the driver and two other men inside the sedan were identified and arrested for charges completely unrelated to the manhunt for Lucrisia and Zion.

Unfortunately, the chief said that incident diverted a lot of police resources that could have gone to searching for the attempted murder suspects.

All of the police department’s available resources from its Area 1 and Area 2 Criminal Investigation Sections as well as all of its detectives are involved in the manhunt in some way.

Moszkowicz said two neighbor island police departments — including the Honolulu department — have offered support, and he’s making sure all necessary measures are in place to bring them to the island today to help with the search for Lucrisia if needed.

The Hawai‘i Department of Law Enforcement also offered to send 12 of its personnel to the island at first light today, in addition to staff from the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations and Federal Bureau of Investigation either on island or headed here, along with the use of their vast resources.

“Like the mayor said, we’re not going to stop” until Lucrisia is found, Moszkowicz vowed.

Events leading up to Friday’s shooting began about 1 a.m. Monday at a Hilohilo Street home in Mountain View when Lucrisia showed up, demanding to see his 39-year-old ex-girlfriend.

He took out a handgun and fired at least one round into the ground following a brief argument in the driveway. Police think shrapnel from that round struck the Mountain View woman, causing superficial wounds to her legs and feet.

Lucrisia then fled the area in a primer black Nissan Xterra.

Reckless endangering and firearms charges were initiated by police following the incident because he is a convicted felon and therefore prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm and ammunition.

A check of court filings on eCourt Kōkua, the Hawai‘i Judiciary Information Management System, shows the 39-year-old Puna man has a long list of offenses and charges ranging from traffic infractions to felonies that stretches back to 2004.

He also was listed as one of “Puna’s Most Wanted” in the August 2024 newsletter from Hawai‘i Police Department’s Puna Community Policing Section.

Lucrisia reportedly returned to the Hilohilo Street home at about 10:45 a.m. Wednesday and went inside without anyone’s permission, subsequently threatening a bedridden 75-year-old woman with a gun and stealing a bag from her bed.

He then threatened to kill his ex-girlfriend, who was not home at the time, before leaving.

Police again responded to the Mountain View home and initiated robbery and additional firearms cases against Lucrisia.

Area I Criminal Investigation Section investigators were able to obtained Parras warrants, or written warrants signed by a judge, Thursday morning for his arrest on those pending charges.

Investigators began checking the Pūʻainakō area near Kanoelehua Avenue early Friday morning based on information that he was somewhere in that vicinity.

The Hawai‘i Police Department Office of Professional Standards initiated a critical incident review of the shooting, as is standard practice when an officer is shot in the line of duty.

“It’s certainly my sincere hope and the hope of the entire department that this officer comes out of surgery and is able to make a full and complete recovery,” Moszkowicz said during Friday’s press conference.

The detective who shot back after Lucrisia opened fire is a 17-year veteran of the department and is also assigned to the East Hawai‘i Vice Unit.

He was placed on administrative leave to make sure he is mentally, emotionally and physically able to return to work.

Moszkowicz said the department will be happy to welcome both back when each of them is ready.

Hawai‘i Police Department will continue to update the public periodically via social media and through local media outlets, as warranted, about the progress of the manhunt for Lucrisia as the situation continues to develop.

Anyone who might have witnessed or have any information about the incident is urged to call the police department’s non-emergency line at 808-935-3311 or contact Detective Kimo Keliipaakaua with the Area I Criminal Investigation Section by phone at 808-961-2375 or via email at Kimo.Keliipaakaua@hawaiicounty.gov.

“If you see something, please give us a call and help us to get this taken care of as quickly and safely as we can,” Moszkowicz said.

Those who want to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 808-961-8300 and could be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.

Hawai‘i Fusion Center also set up a web portal for people to submit photos or videos of Friday’s incident, and while people are encouraged to leave their contact information with anything they submit online, submissions can be anonymous.

Moszkowicz pleaded with Lucrisia to do the right thing and surrender.

“We don’t need anymore violence in this case. Nobody else needs to be hurt. We just want to make sure that justice is done, and we’ll let the criminal justice system play out,” the chief said Friday evening. “So if you’re out there and you’re watching, please call 9-1-1, tell the police where you are and surrender so that we can end this whole situation peacefully.”