Police are investigating an officer-involved fatal shooting Tuesday night in Hilo, the second within a week. ADVERTISING Police are investigating an officer-involved fatal shooting Tuesday night in Hilo, the second within a week. The shooting occurred at about 10:40 p.m.
Police are investigating an officer-involved fatal shooting Tuesday night in Hilo, the second within a week.
The shooting occurred at about 10:40 p.m. in the Walmart parking lot.
Police say a traffic stop was made on a Toyota minivan known to be operated by a wanted fugitive they say is armed and dangerous. The woman driver and male front-seat passenger were commanded to get out of the van.
The man, while getting out of the van, shot at officers with a handgun, police say. Four officers fired their weapons, fatally injuring the man.
Other media sources report the dead man is 29-year-old Scottie Yanagawa, wanted by police for questioning in a Jan. 31 shooting at Honolii and for furlough escape from Hale Nani Correctional Facility on Nov. 19.
Police have not confirmed that, pending positive identification and notification of next of kin.
The woman, identified as 30-year-old Kaiini Febo Santiago of Pahoa, was uninjured and arrested at the scene on suspicion of hindering prosecution for having aiding a wanted fugitive. She is being held at the Hilo police cellblock pending further investigation.
The officers who fired their weapons have 14, 12, seven and six years of experience with law enforcement, police said in a written statement, but haven’t said if any officers or other bystanders were wounded in the gun battle.
The shooting comes just four days after officers shot and killed another wanted suspect, 38-year-old Ronald Barawis Jr. of Kailua-Kona, behind the McDonald’s restaurant in the Puainako Town Center.
Police say Barawis had a shotgun, rifle and two semi-automatic handguns in the car he was driving.
The Hilo Criminal Investigations Section will conduct a criminal investigation into the shooting and the Office of Professional Standards, the department’s internal affairs unit, will conduct an administrative investigation, standard practice in a police-involved shooting.
Police ask anyone who witnessed the incident to call Detective Joel Field at 961-2361 or Crime Stoppers at 961-8300.
This story will be updated as new details become available and a full story will appear in Thursday’s edition.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
