2 arrested in Kailua-Kona armed robbery

Two people have been arrested in connection to an armed robbery of a Kailua-Kona business.

Hawaii island police responded to a report of an active armed robbery at around 8 p.m. Thursday in the 73-5000 block of Kauhola Street in the Kaloko Light Industrial Park in Kailua-Kona. A male suspect reportedly wearing dark clothing and a face covering allegedly entered the business and brandished a firearm, the Hawaii Police Department reported.

The suspect allegedly took money from a service counter area as employees and patrons fled, police said. He then fled the scene in a gray lifted pickup truck with a female passenger.

A patrol unit saw a vehicle matching that description leaving the scene and tried to make contact with it, but before doing so the vehicle became involved in a traffic collision with another vehicle at the intersection of Route 190 and Hina Lani Street.

A police officer was walking toward the suspect vehicle, which became inoperable in the collision, when the male suspect fired his gun at the officer and struck one a tire of a patrol vehicle.

The officer called for assistance, but both suspects fled the scene on foot.

Police located the suspects shortly afterward and arrested both. The male suspect was arrested for first-degree attempted murder, robbery and reckless endangering. The female suspect was arrested for robbery.

The patrol officer that was shot at and a 51-year-old woman who was driving the other vehicle involved in the traffic collision were not injured, HPD said.

Those with information about this incident are asked to call the police department’s nonemergency number at 808-935-3311 or Detective Sheldon Nakamoto of the Area II Criminal Investigation Section at 808-326-4646, ext. 228, or via email at Sheldon.nakamoto@hawaiicounty.gov.

Anonymous tips can be made to CrimeStoppers via 808-961-8300.