Hawai’i Island police have initiated an attempted murder investigation following a Honokaʻa shooting incident that left a 39-year-old man in critical condition. On Tuesday evening, Hāmākua patrol officers responded to a reported shooting on Rickard Place in Honoka‘a where they located the victim, who was conscious while a bystander was tending to him. He appeared to have injuries to his neck and top of his head and was immediately transported via ambulance to the North Hawai’i Community Hospital and later flown to the Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu, for further treatment. A witness at the scene reported that he and the victim were hanging out in the area on Rickard Place, when 29-year-old Keola Jedidiah Whitehead-Shibata of Honoka‘a arrived. Whitehead-Shibata then got upset with the victim, pulled out a handgun, and shot at him multiple times prior to fleeing the area on foot, still in possession of the gun. Area I Criminal Investigation Section detectives responded to the scene to continue the investigation, which is classified as second-degree attempted murder. After canvassing the area, police located and arrested Whitehead-Shibata in a wooded area off Lehua Street in Honokaʻa.
Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed the incident to contact the police department’s non-emergency number at (808) 935-3311, or Detective Scotty Aloy at (808) 961-2381 or via email at Scotty-Aloy@hawaiicounty.gov.
HPD Photo