A 31-year-old Hilo man is hospitalized in critical condition after a police-involved shooting late Saturday night in downtown Hilo, police said.
Lt. Greg Esteban said two officers were involved in the shooting, which occurred on the Kilauea Avenue extension in downtown Hilo, shortly before midnight.
He said neither officer, a 32-year-old with 7 1/2 years experience, and a 28-year-old with six months experience, was injured.
Esteban identified the man who was shot as James Salai, who was arrested on suspicion of first-degree terroristic threatening.
“There’s additional charges that are pending,” Esteban said, which include attempted murder.
Esteban said the injured man “apparently drove his vehicle at the officers” after being stopped on Mamo Street between Kilauea Avenue and Kinoole Street on suspicion of impaired driving.
He said Salai took off after being pulled over, driving makai on Mamo Street, and went around the Dodge Charger of another police officer who had responded to a separate incident at the corner of Mamo and Kilauea extension, behind Pineapples restaurant. Salai then reportedly turned left, driving the wrong way on the short one-way street, and struck both a white compact sedan and a silver compact sedan that were both parked on the street.
“When he struck the white compact, he pushed the vehicle into the owner of the vehicle, who was standing outside of the passenger-side door,” Esteban said. He said the car’s owner, a 27-year-old Ookala woman, was treated for minor injuries at the scene and released.
Esteban said Salai then reversed his car and struck the rear of the officer’s Charger.
“At that time, rounds are discharged by both officers,” Esteban said. “After the shots are discharged by the officers, the (suspect’s) vehicle continues against the flow of traffic on the Kilauea extension, makes a left turn up Haili, then makes a left turn on Kinoole Street.
“Officers pursue the vehicle; they eventually stop the vehicle at the Kinoole and Haihai Street intersection,” he said. “They take the male into custody and he’s transported to Hilo Medical Center with apparent gunshot wounds.”
Salai was later flown to The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu in critical condition.
Esteban said police took Salai’s car, a late-model silver Chevrolet Cobalt, into evidence.
The officers involved have not been identified. The department’s standard practice in any police-involved shooting requires a criminal investigation by Criminal Investigations Section detectives and an administrative investigation by the Office of Professional Standards, the department’s internal affairs unit.
Police ask anyone who witnessed the incident to call the police nonemergency line at 935-3311 or contact Detective Wendall Carter at 961-2378 or wcarter@co.hawaii.hi.us.
Those who prefer anonymity may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
