Honolulu police take up defensive positions with their weapons after a shooting and domestic incident at a residence on Hibiscus Road near Diamond Head on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020, in Honolulu. Witnesses say at least two Honolulu police officers were shot and two civilians were injured. (Jamm Aquino/Honolulu Star-Advertiser via AP)
HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii’s governor says two police officers have died after a shooting in Honolulu on Sunday.
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports that officers had responded to an assault call when they encountered a male with a firearm, who then opened fire, striking two officers.
“We grieve with HPD and other first-responders who put their lives on the line to keep us safe,” said Councilmember Kymberly Marcos Pine.
Honolulu police spokeswoman Michelle Yu did not confirm the death but said more than one officer was taken to the hospital in critical condition.
Cedric Yamanaka, a spokesman for The Queen’s Medical Center, declined to provide any information about the victims, deferring to the Honolulu Police Department.
The neighborhood where the shooting occurred is at the far end of the Waikiki Beach between the Honolulu Zoo and the famed Diamond Head State Monument. The area would be packed with tourists and locals, especially on a weekend.
“It sounded like a slot of shots, or a lot of popping, loud noises going on,” said Honolulu resident Peter Murray. “So hope everybody is all right. Some people got hurt today.”
A home the suspected gunman was believed to be inside caught fire and was quickly engulfed by flames. The fire at the home has since spread to two neighboring homes and a parked police vehicle.
The Honolulu Fire Department was battling the blazes.
No arrests have been made.
Police have closed several streets nearby. The public has been asked to avoid the area. Police surround a house where a shooting suspect is believed to be in Honolulu, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020. Honolulu police say two officers have been shot Sunday and the suspect is at large. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports that officers were responding to an assault call near the base of Diamond Head when they encountered a male with a firearm, who then opened fire, striking two officers. (Jamm Aquino/Honolulu Star Advertiser via AP)
Smoke billows through the streets after a shooting in Honolulu, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports that officers had responded to an assault call when they encountered a male with a firearm, who then opened fire, striking two officers. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)Honolulu police carry an injured officer after a shooting and domestic incident at a residence on Hibiscus Road near Diamond Head on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020, in Honolulu. Witnesses say at least two Honolulu police officers were shot and two civilians were injured. (Jamm Aquino/Honolulu Star-Advertiser via AP)Bystanders watch black smoke billowing from a house fire after a shooting and domestic incident at a residence on Hibiscus Road near Diamond Head on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020, in Honolulu. Witnesses say at least two Honolulu police officers were shot and two civilians were injured. Moments after the shooting, the house was set on fire, possibly by the suspect. (Jamm Aquino/Honolulu Star-Advertiser via AP)Honolulu police watch a house fire after a shooting and domestic incident at a residence on Hibiscus Road near Diamond Head on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020, in Honolulu. Witnesses say at least two Honolulu police officers were shot and two civilians were injured. Moments after the shooting, the house was set on fire, possibly by the suspect. (Jamm Aquino/Honolulu Star-Advertiser via AP)
Hawaii is not the paradise that it once was. In 2002, when I visited Oahu, I saw a number of homeless people in the tourist area, near Waikiki beach, and no cops patrolling the area. Our tour guide told us that there were municipalities in the USA, who actually placed homeless people on planes, and paid for their airfare to Hawaii, where they were essentially “dumped”, where they became Hawaii’s problem. A shanda!
What is the race of the suspects?
Hawaii is not the paradise that it once was. In 2002, when I visited Oahu, I saw a number of homeless people in the tourist area, near Waikiki beach, and no cops patrolling the area. Our tour guide told us that there were municipalities in the USA, who actually placed homeless people on planes, and paid for their airfare to Hawaii, where they were essentially “dumped”, where they became Hawaii’s problem. A shanda!