The 39-year-old victim of a Tuesday evening shooting at the Salvation Army Honokaa Corps campus has been identified by a Salvation Army official as Arthur Franklin.
“He’s one of our homeless people that we provide services to,” said Envoy Gary Todd, ministry leader and site coordinator of the Salvation Army Honokaa Corps. “We are saddened by the isolated shooting incident on our campus … and are praying for all of those involved.
“Additionally, we are grateful for the quick actions of a volunteer nurse who was present and responded to the injured party before EMS arrived.”
Todd said that Franklin and the alleged shooter, 29-year-old Keola Jedidiah Whitehead-Shibata of Honokaa, and Whitehead-Shibata’s father were on the campus to receive services.
“This happened just after 6 p.m. as we were beginning to close up both the thrift store and our Corps services,” said Todd. “The mission of the Salvation Army is to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and to provide for those in need without discrimination. That’s our mission. And we were in the process of doing just that when this incident happened — by someone, by the way, that most of us had never met.”
According to police, a witness at the scene reported that he and Franklin were hanging out on the Rickard Place campus, when Whitehead-Shibata showed up.
A short time later, Whitehead-Shibata got upset with the victim, pulled out a handgun, and shot at him multiple times prior to fleeing on foot while still in possession of the firearm, police said.
Capt. Rio Amon-Wilkins of the East Hawaii Criminal Investigation Division said Wednesday that Franklin and Whitehead-Shibata are acquainted and added the disagreement was “about a previous incident that is still actually under investigation.”
Todd said the nurse and her husband were volunteering at the thrift store on the Salvation Army campus when the shooting occurred.
“They heard shots fired, and then came over to the main building, the community assistance center, and found the victim with two gunshots,” Todd said. “He had gone into our shower area moving away from the shooter, who then fled on foot.”
According to police, Franklin, who was conscious and receiving treatment when police and EMS arrived, suffered injuries to his neck and top of his head. Franklin was taken by ambulance to North Hawaii Community Hospital in Waimea and later medivaced to The Queen’s Medical Center for further treatment.
Amon-Wilkins said Franklin is still at The Queen’s in critical condition, but “it looks like he’s going to get better.”
“I believe it was fortuitous that the husband and wife were volunteering at the thrift store,” Todd said. “She is a very competent nurse. She was able to administer assistance until … the police arrived, and then, EMS arrived.”
“All community assistance programs and our thrift store will continue to be fully operational in Honokaa,” Todd added.
After canvassing the area, police located and arrested Whitehead-Shibata without incident at 8:22 a.m. Wednesday morning in a wooded area off Lehua Street in Honokaa. He was booked on suspicion of attempted second-degree murder as detectives continued to investigate.
Asked if a firearm was recovered, Amon-Wilkins replied, “Not yet.”
According to court records, Whitehead-Shibata pleaded no contest on Nov. 14 to unauthorized control of a stolen vehicle and third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, both Class C felonies punishable by up to five years in prison.
Records indicate Whitehead-Shibata was granted supervised release by Hilo Circuit Judge Peter Kubota — who’s on paid administrative leave for an undisclosed reason — while prosecutors and the public defender were working on a probation deal to get Whitehead-Shibata an early release from jail into a drug treatment program.
A bench warrant for Whitehead-Shibata’s arrest was issued Feb. 28 for failure to appear in court on Feb. 23, with bail set at $5,000.
Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed this incident to contact the police department’s nonemergency number at (808) 935-3311, or to contact Detective Scotty Aloy at (808) 961-2381 or Scotty-Aloy@hawaiicounty.gov.
Those who prefer anonymity may call Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.