HONOLULU — Honolulu police officers shot and killed a man while responding to an apparent domestic incident in Pearl City around 4 a.m. on Friday, according to Honolulu police chief Joe Logan.

What You Need To Know

  • Police responding to a 4:10 a.m. burglary call from a Kalauipo Place residence were met by a female resident who said her ex-boyfriend was in the house and armed with knives. She told officers that the suspect had threatened to shoot co-workers and police officers

  • A crisis negotiation team was called to the scene and attempted multiple times to convince the suspect to exit the home

  • After a fire broke out in a bedroom, the suspect ran to a neighboring home and grabbed a rifle that had been left unattended on the back balcony

  • Three officers fired on the suspecct, who died at the scene

Police initially described the suspect as a man in his 30s. Logan declined to provide further description pending an ongoing investigation. He said it was his understanding that the suspect was the subject of a temporary restraining order filed by the woman who first called police for help.

According to Logan, police responding to a 4:10 a.m. burglary call from a Kalauipo Place residence were met by a female resident who said her ex-boyfriend was in the house and armed with knives. She told officers that the suspect had threatened to shoot co-workers and police officers.

Officers also heard the man shouting that he was not going to jail.

A crisis negotiation team was called to the scene and attempted multiple times to convince the suspect to exit the home. Specialized Services Division personnel were also deployed, as were crews from the Honolulu Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services, Logan said.

Around 6:30 a.m., thick black smoke was seen coming from a bedroom window. About 10 minutes later, the suspect emerged from the home armed with two knives and ran up to the rear balcony a neighbor's house, where HPD officers had previously been posted.

"The suspect grabbed an unattended rifle and was holding it when the officers returned to the balcony," Logan said.

One of the officers fired at the suspect. A second officer followed suit from the neighbor’s yard. A third officer also fired from the bottom the stairwell.

The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene. No other injuries were reported.

HPD confirmed that the rifle the suspect accessed belongs to the department. The neighboring home had been previously evacuated and was empty when the suspect ran over.

"The circumstances of how the suspect obtained the gun will be part of the investigation," HPD spokesperson Michelle Yu said in a statement released Friday afternoon.

First-degree burglary and first-degree attempted murder cases have been opened, Logan said.

The officers who discharged their weapons — two Specialized Service Division officers and a District 3 patrol officer — were placed on administrative leave, per standard procedure.

Nine additional HFD units staffed with 34 firefighters were dispatched to the fire, which was brought under control by 7:03 p.m. and fully extinguished by 7:16 a.m.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with details provided at the HPD press conference. (June 23, 2023)