In a unified show of concern and frustration, county, state and federal leaders gathered Friday evening to announce a coordinated response to recent gun violence in Waianae.

What You Need To Know

  • Gov. Josh Green, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi, Honolulu police chief Joe Logan and other local officials met Thursday night to develop a plan to increase law enforcement presence in Waianae
  • The new initiative will include increased police presence and patrols throughout Waianae and Nanakuli and the deployment of 20 additional enforcement agents from the state Department of Law Enforcement, Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement and other resources
  • The coordinated response comes amid a spate of recent shootings
  • State Rep. Cedric Gates noted community concern that recent incidents have involved youth offenders

 

“We are joining together to increase safety for our Waianae and broader Leeward Coast community in response to the unacceptable violent crimes,” Gov. Josh Green said. “Residents are already seeing a more visible presence of multiple law enforcement agencies and rest assured, these efforts will continue.”

Green said he, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi, Honolulu police chief Joe Logan and other local officials met Thursday night—just hours after yet another shooting in the area left two teenagers hospitalized with serious injuries—to develop a plan to increase law enforcement presence in Waianae.

The new initiative will include increased police presence and patrols throughout Waianae and Nanakuli and the deployment of 20 additional enforcement agents from the state Department of Law Enforcement, Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement and other resources.

“Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement officers will be working with our law enforcement partners to increase visibility and safety in Waianae,” DOCARE chief Jason Redulla said. “Officers will be providing an enhanced presence during overnight hours at Waianae Small Boat Harbor through the course of the Statehood Day weekend to ensure the harbor is used for legitimate and lawful use.”

DLE director Jordan Lowe said that in addition to providing additional enforcement presence and investigative support to local law enforcement and working with federal agencies, his department will working with the community on educational initiatives and provide gun buy-back opportunities.

The next buy-back event is scheduled for the Aloha Station Parking lot on Aug. 24, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The coordinated response comes amid a spate of recent shootings.

On Aug. 6, a shooting near the Waianae Small Boat Harbor resulted in the death of 31-year-old Cheylo Perkins-Chongtim. On Tuesday, a grand jury indicted 25-year-old Rastan Brown-Castro in connection with the incident.

On Wednesday, police fatally shot a 60-year-old Waianae man after he shot three people following a domestic dispute. None of the three victims sustained life-threatening injuries.

On Thursday evening, one or more assailants shot into a crowd of people in an undisclosed Waianae location, striking and seriously injuring two teenagers.

Blangiardi said the recent gun violence along the Leeward Coast was “patently unacceptable” and vowed to vowed to “meet force with force.”

“We cannot stand idly by while communities are held hostage by the minority of criminals who choose to ignore our laws and wreak havoc on our families,” Blangiardi said. “We are grateful for the efforts of community leaders, as well as the Honolulu Police Department and our state law enforcement partners, and together we will marshal all of the public safety resources of the City and County of Honolulu to restore peace and public safety to our Waianae Coast.”

In support of the coordinated response, Hawaii’s Congressional delegation will also continue to work with the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to help identify and address root causes of gun violence and fund initiatives to combat gang activity.

“The recent rise in gun violence in the Waianae community requires a whole-of- government response, from the state and local level to our federal government,” said U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda, D-Hawaii. “As the representative in Congress for the Waianae community, I have been in close contact with the White House and federal agencies to provide the technical and financial assistance needed to support our state and county response teams as they deal with persistent gun violence, including the proliferation of ghost guns.”

In Wednesday’s shooting, the suspect was armed with a homemade rifle and a stolen handgun.

Honolulu City Council member Andria Tupola welcomed the increase in police presence but said the problem requires sustained attention.

“Last year, the city did an enhanced enforcement weekend after a string of shootings in the community, but we clearly need ongoing enhanced police support,” she said.

State Rep. Cedric Gates noted community concern that recent incidents have involved youth offenders.

“We need assistance from the HPD Crime Reduction Unit to investigate the leads and possible involvement of gang-related activity,” he said.

Tupola, Gates and state Rep. Darius Kila will host a youth-focused crime prevention town hall on Aug. 21 at Waianae High School starting at 6 p.m.