Man arrested following calls of vehicles being shot at while driving by on Māmalahoa Highway in Hoʻokena

A 38-year-old Captain Cook man remains in custody after being arrested early Friday morning after Hawai’i Police Department dispatch received several calls about a man shooting at vehicles as they passed him on Māmalahoa Highway in Hoʻokena.

Hoʻokena Elementary School was also locked down after an employee saw a man walking on the highway with a gun who was staring into the schoolyard while children were playing.

The Captain Cook man was arrested on two counts of first-degree terroristic threatening, and police continue to investigate.

The suspect’s identity will be released upon a decision about charges.

Kona patrol officers were dispatched at 6:40 a.m. Friday to the 84-4500 block of Māmalahoa Highway for a report of a man walking on the roadway with a gun. Several other callers contacted dispatch about shots being fired at vehicles as they passed him.

Officers located the man walking on the highway carrying what appeared to be a rifle. He was successfully disarmed without incident and taken into custody.

The firearm was then inspected and identified as a break barrel BB/pellet gun.

While speaking with witnesses and victims at the scene, officers were contacted by a Hoʻokena Elementary School employee who reported children were playing outside the school when another staff member saw the man with the gun staring into the schoolyard.

Staff immediately took the children inside and placed the school on lockdown.

Anyone who witnessed this incident or is an unidentified victim is asked to contact Officer Dane Shibuya Jr. at 808-326-4646, extension 253.