An active shooter seeks refuge near Laie being chased by police on New Year’s Day
Celebrations on New Year’s Day took a turn when news of an active shooter on the loose reached Laie, said Lisa Faonelua, an English Language Teaching administrative assistant at BYU–Hawaii.
A 44-year-old, Sidney Tafokitau, was wanted for attempted murder in the first degree and robbery in the first degree, according to the Crime Stoppers news release. It says he shot a group of males in Kalihi and injured one with a knife on Dec. 16, 2023, resulting in “multiple no-bail warrants issued for his arrest.” The Associated Press reported in mid-December, Honolulu police asked for the public's help in locating Tafokitau, calling him armed and dangerous.
Then on Monday, Jan. 1, Tafokitau and police had a shootout near the University of Hawaii’s main campus, AP reported, and an island-wide manhunt started with Tafokitau using an unregistered AR-15 type rifle, says a police statement. The car chase on New Year’s Day ended with Tafokitau wounding two officers and the suspect dead, court records show.
A Laie visitor, Silivia Tatafu, said Tafokitau stole vehicles and fled to the North Shore from the police who attempted to arrest him.
Tatafu said she saw a police car with automatic rifles chasing a white car down Likelike Highway in the Kaneohe area on her way to Honolulu on Monday afternoon, Jan. 1. She said she and others in the same car were not aware of what was happening at the time. “We saw the cops stop by two cars that collided in an accident. One car was the one they were chasing, and the cops came out with rifles ready to shoot. We just drove past and were confused,” she said. Tatafu said when they returned from town after a few hours, more police cars were running down towards the North Shore.
Hawaii News Now reported a motorist, Erin Valentine, was carjacked when Tafokitau was involved in a crash during the pursuit in Kaneohe. “He opened up the car door and just lifted up the gun straight to my face and just said, ‘Get out,’” she told the TV station.
AP reports criticism of the way the HPD handled the situation and the dramatic pursuit continued days later with people saying the public should have been alerted as the situation unfolded.
Faonelua described what she saw when the car chase reached the North Shore. “A white Scion did a U-turn and headed to Kahuku, swiping a utility pole while being pursued by the police on the highway near Laie’s McDonalds,” said Faonelua. She said the two police cars had officers with guns out aimed at the white Scion. “We had no idea about the manhunt going on. We watched this from only 10 feet, and it could’ve ended badly,” she said.
Honolulu Police Chief Arthur “Joe” Logan defended not issuing alerts about the incidents. He said police didn't want the public getting involved in the chase he described as “fluid” and which moved rapidly across the island.
Hawaii's statewide police union and Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi defended the officers. “Without our officers' courageous actions and sacrifice, the situation could have been far worse,” Blangiardi said.