A late-Sunday domestic disturbance call in Hālawa ended with a Honolulu police officer shooting a 22-year-old man in the thigh, authorities said. The man was taken to The Queen’s Medical Center, treated and released, then booked into custody.
How police say the shooting unfolded
Officers responding around 10:22 p.m. to a Kohomua Street home found a man crouched outside near the doorway, according to Hawaii News Now. Police say he forced his way into the house, grabbed a kitchen knife and, despite repeated commands to drop it, moved toward officers. One officer fired a taser that did not stop him. A second officer then fired a single shot, hitting the man in the thigh.
Who was arrested and on what charges
An arrest log identified the suspect as 22-year-old Kaypee Palik Jr., who police say had punched his 16-year-old brother and 18-year-old sister before officers arrived. He was booked on two counts of first-degree terroristic threatening and two counts of abuse of a household member, according to Honolulu Civil Beat. Interim Chief Rade Vanic said the parents mentioned prior, undocumented incidents last year and raised possible mental health concerns that investigators are still looking into.
Officers' status and the review process
Vanic said the officer who fired the shot has seven years with the department and was offered administrative leave and peer support. The officer who deployed the taser has been on the job just under a year and also received peer support, according to Hawaii News Now. Body-camera footage from the encounter will be released after HPD finishes both its criminal and administrative investigations, and the city prosecutor’s office will conduct a separate review.
Context and community safety
Vanic stressed that the shooting, which occurred the same night as an unrelated Kapolei incident that left two visiting workers wounded, does not appear to signal a broader spike in violent crime. He said Honolulu remains generally safe. Officers at the Hālawa scene provided first aid before Emergency Medical Services took the man to The Queen’s Medical Center. Investigators are treating the case as an officer-involved shooting and will determine whether the use of force was justified, according to Honolulu Civil Beat.
Resources and safety reminders
Vanic urged anyone dealing with domestic violence to reach out for help long before a situation turns dangerous, noting that support services are available around the clock. The National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 operates 24/7, and more information is available at thehotline.org.
