WGNO

A 16-year-old shot dead by police after police pursue a car linked to string of crimes

HONOLULU (KHON2) — A 16-year-old boy is dead after being shot by police.

The boy was driving a stolen car before it drove into the Kalakaua Stream.

Police tell us that car had been linked to a series of violent crimes most recently an armed robbery.

Honolulu Police Chief Susan Ballard said around 4:30 p.m. Monday, April 5, 2021 officers located a white Honda Civic stolen from Kailua on Saturday.

The same vehicle is linked to burglary and car theft in Kaimuki, purse snatching in Waikiki, and armed robbery in Moiliili.

It started with a home burglary in Kailua over the weekend.

Then an armed robbery in the Moiliili area on Monday, April 5, 2021

Officers found the vehicle and there was a chase on Kalaniaoanle Highway, H-1 and Kapiolani Boulevard.

Officers fired shots at vehicle which rammed two police cars before going into a canal.

The people in the car ran from canal and were chased.

One male was critically wounded and later died.

“We believe that the vehicle rammed two marked police cars and crashed through a chain link fence and went into the Kalakaua canal,” said Ballard. “During this time officers fired multiple shots into the vehicle.”

Kalakaua Avenue remains closed between King Street and Kanunu Street due to a police shooting investigation.

The road closure was announced at approximately 5:20 p.m. on Monday, April 5.

KHON witnessed dozens of police officers on Kalakaua Ave. and Philip St. where the entire area is blocked off. Multiple ambulances were also at the scene.

Witnesses told KHON they heard multiple gunshots.

“When I was lying down on my couch, I heard four gunshots, then two more after that,” said Theresa Linoz. “So I went out onto my lanai, and I seen a whole bunch of cops at the stop light and I came running downstairs and I saw all this happen.”

“Just hearing about this, this close to my neighborhood,” said resident Marilyn Yeager. “It just rips my guts out. Ok. It really does. It’s coming too close to home.”

Honolulu Emergency Medical Services responded to Kalakaua Ave. and Philip St. at approximately 5 p.m. to treat and transport three patients:

The fourth patient, a 22-year-old man, was evaluated for minor injuries on Hauoli St. and refused to be transported.

Police said the investigation is ongoing.