Posted on: Friday, July 20, 2001

Officers not charged in deadly Ala Moana shooting

By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer

No criminal charges will be filed against the five Honolulu Police Department officers involved in the Ala Moana Center shooting that killed a gunman Jan. 13, the city's Prosecutor's Office said yesterday.

In their investigation, prosecutors said the officers fired in "self-defense" and the use of deadly force on the gunman was "justified," according to a written statement from the Prosecutor's Office.

On Jan. 13, five officers responded to calls about an argument between Michell A. Udani, 26, and his ex-girlfriend, Cherry Ann Cachola Domingo, 25, at the Ala Moana Center parking lot.

Police said Udani shot Domingo to death inside a white Mercedes-Benz sport-utility vehicle, then got out of the car, ignored officers' requests to drop his sawed-off shotgun and fired at the officers. The five officers returned fire, killing Udani.

"Based upon our review the state has concluded the officers had reason to believe Michell Udani was violent, had little regard for the safety of others, and posed a real danger to bystanders and the officers themselves," the statement from the Prosecutor's Office said.

On July 11, Honolulu Police Chief Lee Donohue presented the department's third-highest award, the Warrior Bronze Medal of Valor, to Detective Wilson Lau and officers Thayne Costa, Brian Taniguchi, Day Oshiro and Dean Terakawa.