Security personnel and uniformed and plainclothes police roamed the Punahou carnival last night, watching for signs of trouble after a fight Friday ended in a stabbing and an arrest.
"We’ve got quite a bit of manpower out there," said Lt. Roger Kort, who was coordinating police activities at Punahou. "Anytime you have a large crowd of people like this, you have to be prepared for fights. We’re prepared."
Police continued to look for a second suspect in the stabbing, but crowds visiting the carnival seemed undeterred by Friday night’s violence.
"Those things happen," said Bob Kessner, who attended the carnival last night with his wife, his sister-in-law, a daughter, a son and a family friend. "They happen in Waikiki, they happen downtown and they happen at the Punahou carnival. We just have to deal with them."
"It’s our school," said Stephanie Power, a 17-year-old Punahou sophomore who attended with friends Jennifer Ong and Anne Tasaki. "And it was just one fight. It’s not the kind of thing that usually happens here.
Nonetheless, Power said, their parents had warned them to be careful and to stay together at all times. It was advice all three girls said they intended to follow.
The victim in the stabbing, a 15-year-old Roosevelt High School student, was admitted to the Queen’s Medical Center in serious condition Friday. He had at least two stab wounds to the chest, authorities said. His condition improved yesterday, and he was listed in guarded condition last night.
A second 15-year-old boy was also injured, but his wounds were minor and he was not hospitalized.
A 17-year-old Kalihi boy was arrested Friday night with a sword or long knife strapped to the inside of his pants, but police said yesterday they believe another boy did the stabbing. No charges had been filed yesterday against the 17-year-old.
Kort said the fight began behind a row of carnival tents on Palm Drive, a campus road that runs parallel to Wilder Avenue.
Police officers were on the scene to stop the fight moments after it started, he said. The first arrest was made on the spot.
Detectives investigating the case said the fight initially involved a small group of boys, but others, boys and men between the ages of 15 and 18 years, jumped in as it progressed. Police late yesterday were looking for a second suspect, a boy or young man between 15 to 18 years old, 5 feet 7 inches to 5 feet 8 inches in height with a heavy build, round face and short black hair. He was wearing black clothing on Friday.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Honolulu Police Det. Kevin Wong at 529-3079, or call anonymously to CrimeStoppers at 955-8300.
