A Captain Cook woman was robbed at gunpoint Tuesday evening at Kona Community Hospital while she sat in her vehicle following a meeting at the facility.
A Captain Cook woman was robbed at gunpoint Tuesday evening at Kona Community Hospital while she sat in her vehicle following a meeting at the facility.
The 22-year-old woman was not injured in the incident, said Hawaii Police Department Criminal Investigations Section Lt. Gerald Wike. No arrests have been made and police are seeking witnesses to the 7:45 p.m. reported incident.
According to police, the man approached her as she sat in a parked gold Mazda sedan and pointed what appeared to be a firearm at her. After demanding her valuables, the woman gave the man her purse, which included contents valued at $150. The man then fled in the makai direction on foot toward Haukapila Road.
Police have described the man as 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing about 150 pounds with a thin build. He was wearing dark pants, a dark hooded sweatshirt and a red bandanna, which covered his face. He reportedly spoke with a heavy Pidgin accent.
Kona Community Hospital spokeswoman Judy Donovan confirmed the incident. She said the woman had just left a non-hospital-affiliated meeting at one of the conference rooms within the Administrative Building. She was not an employee of the hospital.
She said the woman had a shotgun pointed at her while in the parking lot nearest the hospital’s oncology department, which is located just mauka of the courthouse.
Police were immediately called and the hospital’s senior management notified, she said, adding that while security was “heightened” no lock down was ordered. She said the police response was quick.
In light of the incident, Donovan said the hospital is asking employees and people leaving at night to walk with at least one other person. That is in addition to parking closer to the facility during the overnight hours.
Police have also asked for further information on a red sport utility vehicle that was seen traveling makai on Haukapila Road at the time the man fled. Police would like to speak to the driver or any other potential witnesses who may have been in the vicinity during the robbery.
Anyone with any information on the incident should call Detective Tyson Matsumura at 326-4646, ext. 277, or the department’s nonemergency line at 935-3311. Those who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 329-8181 in Kona or 961-8300 in Hilo.