Early Tuesday morning, a Honolulu Police officer experienced a narrow escape during an encounter with a suspect driving a stolen vehicle. According to a social media post from the Honolulu Police Department, at around 1:05 AM, officers spotted a silver 2016 Jeep Cherokee connected to multiple burglaries making an illegal maneuver in the Kamehameha Shopping Center area.
The vehicle was later located at a McDonald's drive-thru, where, upon being approached by police, the driver reversed and then accelerated towards one of the officers, striking their leg. The officer was fortunate to avoid injury, though the suspect escaped. The Jeep was subsequently found abandoned, leading to an attempted murder investigation of a law enforcement officer, the HPD confirmed.
In a prompt response by the District 6 Crime Reduction Unit, a 20-year-old male suspect was apprehended in Waikiki later that evening. "On June 21, at approximately 8:50 PM, District 6 Crime Reduction Unit officers located and arrested a 20-year-old male suspect in Waikiki for Attempted Murder of a Law Enforcement Officer," outlined an update from the HPD's official social media account.
The case has been moved forward for the consideration of charges by the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney. As the HPD diligently worked to apprehend the suspect, community safety concerns have once again been cast into the public dialogue, serving as a stark reminder of the risks law enforcement officers face daily, in their efforts to protect and serve.
