A man has been arrested and charged after a shooting Saturday afternoon in downtown Kailua-Kona.
A man has been arrested and charged after a shooting Saturday afternoon in downtown Kailua-Kona.
West Hawaii Today received several calls and emails from residents and visitors upset about the lack of information released over the weekend about the incident, which was reported to the Hawaii Police Department at 12:03 p.m. Saturday and occurred in a resort parking lot. Rumors ensued, claiming “a gun battle” occurred with as many as 19 shots or more heard.
“There was no gun battle,” said Lt. Gerald Wike of the Area II Criminal Investigations Section Monday. “The weapon was fired in the air.”
Citing Hawaii Police Department policy, officials Monday would not identify or confirm the resort. However, they did say it was “near the intersection of Kuakini Highway and Palani Road.”
Hawaii Island police have charged 39-year-old Kailua-Kona resident Raymond Lee Robinson with nine offenses in connection with an incident involving “numerous shots” being fired in his Kona apartment and at the resort parking lot, according to a media release issued by the police department.
Monday morning, Robinson was charged with first-degree terroristic threatening, first-degree reckless endangering, second-degree reckless endangering, third-degree criminal property damage, loaded firearm on a highway, place to keep ammunition, and three counts of place to keep firearms, the department stated.
As police officers approached Robinson, who was seated in a rental vehicle, Saturday, he fired numerous shots into the air and made verbal threats against them. Robinson was arrested and taken to the Kona police cellblock pending further investigation.
No one was injured during the shooting and there were no reports of damage from the gunshots, the department stated.
It was later learned that just prior to this incident, shots had been reported at Robinson’s apartment located off Kakahiaka Road in Kailua-Kona. No injuries were reported at or around his apartment, the department stated.
Area II Criminal Investigations Section detectives obtained search warrants for the car and apartment. They recovered two handguns, a rifle and ammunition from the vehicle, as well as a handgun and ammunition from the apartment. They also recovered spent handgun casings from the apartment, which had gunshot damage inside.
Robinson’s bail was set at $123,000 and he remains at the cellblock pending his initial court appearance scheduled for today, the department stated.