Hawai‘i Police Officers Talk Man Off Cliff at Rainbow Falls

Hawaiʻi Island police reported two separate incidents that prompted the closure of Rainbow Falls Park on Thursday, Sept. 12.

In the first incident, a 35-year-old man threatened to jump from the edge of the cliff. Police were able to negotiate with the man after about a 40-minute standoff. The man was later taken to Hilo Medical Center for evaluation.

“I want to thank the patrol officers for the quick response and taking the time to talk to the man, and not rushing to quell the incident,” said Sergeant Norbert Serrao of the South Hilo Patrol Division. “Their calm response resulted in a peaceful resolution to an otherwise volatile event that could have had tragic consequences.”

In the second incident, a fallen tree blocked access to the area while state road crews worked to remove the debris.

Hawaiʻi Island Police wanted to thank the public for staying away from the area while they worked on the two separate incidents.