During an early morning altercation in downtown Hilo, police arrested and charged two men after their actions escalated into violence and brinkmanship. According to a report from Nixle, 43-year-old Kalani Rocky Nobriga and 40-year-old Anthony Romero Gonsalves were at the center of a recent incident in South Hilo. The event unfolded last Saturday when South Hilo patrol officers responded to reports of a disturbance on Kilauea Avenue, where a man armed with a gun was chasing individuals.
The unfolding situation saw a 35-year-old man attempting to defuse tensions, with threats escalating quickly, subsequently finding Gonsalves armed with what appeared a Glock-type pistol, later identified merely as a BB gun. Nobriga, along with Gonsalves and third associate Isaiah Lane Kamaka Rosa, were promptly arrested. With Gonsalves in possession of the imitation firearm and Rosa carrying about 6.3 grams of marijuana, the scene was primed for further investigation, laid bare for all to see were the contents of their vehicle – a tableau of stolen goods and drug paraphernalia, as detailed by the Hawaii Police Department.
A search warrant executed on the vehicle fleshed out the findings: a stolen backpack, portable radio, a baseball bat, methamphetamine totaling 16.6 grams, a digital scale, and various drug paraphernalia. Nobriga found himself facing a litany of charges, including multiple drug offenses and third-degree assault, with his bail affixed to $198,000. Gonsalves faced charges—two counts of first-degree robbery and a $100,000 bail as per the Nixle notice.
Adding to the melee, a 46-year-old man arrested for disorderly conduct found himself ensnared by circumstance, later released pending investigation when recognized as a robbery victim. A 56-year-old man also came into the crosshairs of this troubling affair, bearing the strike of a baseball bat wielded by Nobriga, though not sustaining serious harm.
Detective David Po‘ohina of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section urged witnesses to come forward, assuring anonymity through Crime Stoppers for those hesitant to speak out. Crime Stoppers also offered a reward of up to $1,000 for tips that could help resolve the case.
