HONOKAA, Hawaii — The Hawaii Police Department completed its investigation into the death of a 11-year-old boy who was inflicted with a gunshot wound at the Camp Honokaia Boy Scout Camp on Hawaii Island on Aug. 28, according to a news release. Previous reports had the victim's age listed as 12, HPD sent out a news release Tuesday correcting his age.
Hamakua patrol officers responded to a report of an unconscious child at 2:30 p.m. on Aug. 28 following a shooting incident. The child’s lifeless body was found near the camp’s rifle range. An autopsy report confirmed the boy died from a single gunshot wound.
The victim was identified as Manuel “Manny” Carvalho.
Police conducted interviews with all the children and adults who were present at the time of the incident.
On Sept. 12, the Hawaii Police Department said the investigation concluded that a minor picked up a firearm and when he placed it back down, it discharged, shooting the victim. The gun was owned by the minor's father.
The shooting is believed to be accidental; foul play is not suspected in the child’s death. No criminal charges were filed against the minor.
At the scene, 18 firearms and ammunition were recovered. As a result of the investigation, 23-firearm related offenses, which include criminally negligent storage of a firearm, were sent to the County Prosecutor for review. The offenses are against three men who were at the scene of the incident and are the registered owners of multiple firearms. The police did not specifiy if the father of the minor was one of the three men.
Police have concluded the investigation, but they ask anyone who has tips regarding this case to call the police department’s non-emergency number at 808-935-3311, or Detective Jeremy Kubojiri of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section, at 808-961-2378 or email him at Jeremy.Kubojiri@hawaiicounty.gov. If they wish to remain anonymous, they may call Crime Stoppers at 808-961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.
Spectrum News has reached out to the Hawaii Police Department and Aloha Council Boy Scouts Hawaii, which runs Camp Honokaia, for comment.
The Boy Scouts of America confirmed the death in a statement saying it was “due to a reportedly accidental discharge of a firearm while involved in a Troop activity at Camp Honokaia.”
“The Boy Scouts of America extends its sincere condolences to the family of the victim, Troop members and the Aloha Council,” it read.
Michelle Broder Van Dyke covers the Hawaiian Islands for Spectrum News Hawaii.
—The Associated Press contributed to this story.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been updated to include the victim's age, the autopsy report and the statement from Boy Scouts of America. (Aug. 31, 2022)
This story has been updated to include firearm-related offenses, cause of the victim's death and that no criminal charges are being filed against the minor who picked up the gun that discharged. (Sept. 20, 2022)
This story has been updated with the correct age of the victim, which was provided by the Hawaii Police Department (Sept. 22, 2022)