Police ID victim in fatal Puna shooting

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Police have identified the man killed in a Saturday afternoon roadside shooting incident in Puna as 45-year old Denton Freitas of Mountain View.

According to police, officers responded at about 1:45 p.m. to Fern Acres after a resident reported hearing multiple gunshots in the area of Anthurium Street.

As officers were responding to the scene, a passing motorist reported seeing a body on the side of the road on Anthurium Street.

Arriving officers discovered Freitas’ body face down on the side of Anthurium Street with apparent gunshot wounds to his body and spent casings nearby.

The incident has been classified as a murder and Hilo Criminal Investigation Section is investigating. An autopsy has been ordered.

Anyone with information is asked to call the police nonemergency line at 935-3311 or contact Detective Wendall Carter at 961-2383 or Wendall.carter@hawaiicounty.gov.

Those who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.