An after-school disturbance at a Hilo park exploded into a sprawling street fight Thursday afternoon, with dozens of teenagers and adults trading blows in and around Mohouli Park, leaving several people injured and prompting multiple arrests.
Officers were called to Mohouli Park at about 3:17 p.m. on Jan. 22 after reports of a disturbance that rapidly grew into a mass brawl stretching into nearby Pōpolo and Hema streets. Witnesses and local video captured people chasing each other in the roadway, and some participants were reportedly armed with machetes.
Police release details
In a Friday news release, the Hawaiʻi Police Department said officers arrested multiple people at the scene. Among them was 20-year-old Joe-One Renwick, taken into custody on suspicion of failure to disperse, and a 16-year-old juvenile who was charged with third-degree assault.
The department also identified 20-year-old Diatson Kosme of Hilo as the suspect accused of intentionally damaging a vehicle and stealing a person’s AirPods. Kosme remains in custody as detectives continue a felony investigation into the incident. Patrol officers, community policing personnel and detectives from the Area I Criminal Investigation and Juvenile Aid sections all responded, according to the release.
Injuries and video show chaos
Authorities said a 27-year-old man was taken by ambulance to Hilo Benioff Medical Center, where he was treated and released for non-life-threatening injuries after being struck by a vehicle. A 15-year-old juvenile was also treated and released after being struck with a blunt object.
Local television coverage and eyewitness video showed people running up and down Mohouli Street, some hurling rocks, while one green Kia drove through the crowd and reportedly struck at least one person, according to Hawaii News Now. Police temporarily shut down Mohouli Street and parts of the surrounding neighborhood as officers cleared the area and helped the injured.
Investigators are asking anyone with information to contact Detective Robert Kamau of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section at (808) 961-2384 or at [email protected], or to call the department’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311. Tipsters who want to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000, according to the department’s news release. The case is logged under report number 26-006837 as detectives continue to follow leads.
Legal implications
The arrests so far involve misdemeanor-level allegations such as failure to disperse and third-degree assault, along with accusations related to criminal property damage and theft. Prosecutors are expected to review the evidence before deciding on any formal charges.
Juvenile suspects will move through the juvenile justice system, which follows different procedures than adult court. Police said no one suffered critical injuries, but added that additional charges remain possible as detectives go through video recordings and witness statements.
A recurring problem
Large, sometimes violent, street fights have flared up in the Hilo area in recent months, putting a fresh spotlight on public safety in the neighborhood. Reporting last October described a separate large fight on Pōpolo Street that ended with a 19-year-old charged with assaulting two officers, underscoring how quickly these confrontations can escalate. That incident was covered by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
Detectives say the inquiry into the Mohouli Park brawl is still underway and that more arrests or charges are possible. Anyone with video or other information is urged to contact the investigators listed above to help piece together the full sequence of events.
