A 61-year-old Hawaiian Ocean View Estates man has been charged with attempted murder after reportedly shooting a 66-year-old acquaintance Sunday afternoon in a residential area of Ka’u.
A 61-year-old Hawaiian Ocean View Estates man has been charged with attempted murder after reportedly shooting a 66-year-old acquaintance Sunday afternoon in a residential area of Ka‘u.
At 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Hawaii Police Department detectives from the Area II Criminal Investigations Section charged John O’Leary with attempted murder, second-degree assault and eight firearms offenses. He was released that night on $68,000 bail, said CIS Lt. Gerald Wike.
O’Leary was arrested shortly after the 3:25 p.m. Sunday shooting at a Reef Parkway home within Hawaiian Ocean View Estates. Police have located the .22 caliber revolver reportedly used in the shooting.
The 66-year-old Ocean View man was shot in his right upper thigh, suffering nonlife-threatening injuries. He was taken to Kona Community Hospital, treated for his injuries and released.
Preliminary investigation found that the victim and suspect had been longtime acquaintances and that the victim had traveled to O’Leary’s home prior to the shooting, according to police. O’Leary at some point allegedly fired several shots, hitting the victim in his upper right thigh.
After the shots were fired, a struggle ensued with the 66-year-old being able to take away the weapon from O’Leary, according to police. O’Leary allegedly then struck the victim’s elbow with a baseball bat.
The 66-year-old then drove away in his car, still in possession of the gun, returned home and called 911, according to police. No other people were involved in or endangered by the incident. — WHT