The man was identified as Kevin Anthony Sulgit, of a Mapuana Street address. He is being held in the Hilo police cellblock pending further investigation by Hilo Criminal Investigation Section detectives.

About 11 p.m. Sunday, Puna patrol officers responded to a report of a shooting incident in Seaview Estates.

On arrival, the officers learned that the shooting victim, identified as Michael Patrick Hartman, 20, of a Seaview Estates address, suffered a head wound and had been taken to the Pahoa Fire Station by another person. From there, fire rescue personnel took Hartman to the Hilo Medical Center, where he was treated for a grazing head wound and released.

Later, about 11:50 p.m., officers arrested Sulgit on suspicion of attempted murder.

South Hilo, Puna gambling arrests exceed 100

A 22-month undercover operation by the Hawai'i County Police Department has resulted in more than 100 gambling arrests in the South Hilo and Puna Districts.

A total of 138 separate arrests for 357 gambling and gambling-related offenses resulted from the undercover operation, which began in December 1999.

The cases have been forwarded to the Hawai'i County Prosecutor's Office for further disposition.

The operation began as an undercover "sting" operation conducted by Hilo Criminal Investigation Section detectives. The operation consisted of using "business fronts" to purchase stolen items.

The evidence was used to develop criminal cases against people who traffic in stolen property and who commit burglaries in the Hilo and Puna Districts. That operation resulted in the recovery of $170,526 in stolen property and the return of $153,500 in property to its owners.

The stolen property included guns, electronic equipment, mechanical and woodworking tools, fishing equipment, camera equipment and vehicles. In one theft, a new $30,000 truck had been sold to undercover operators before the dealership knew the truck had been stolen.

A total of 55 arrests for theft and related offenses were made during the project period, which ended June 30, 2001. Another 30 more arrests are expected after grand jury indictments are processed.

In related investigations, another 52 drug cases were initiated.

During the investigation, the CIS detectives were approached by people to set up gambling operations.

The gambling investigation was turned over to the Hilo Vice Section. The Vice Section investigation uncovered several gambling operations conducted at both private residences and business establishments.

Several business establishments were involved in gambling operations. They included Reyn's Repair, an engine repair shop on Leilani Street, and T's Exchange, a computer repair shop on Keawe Street, set up as fronts by the police in the undercover operation.

Others were arrested for gambling activities taking place at private residences on Uilani Street and King Kamehameha Street in the Ainaloa subdivision of Puna. Finally, a customer was arrested for a sports betting operation at a bar. Neither the management nor its employees was involved in the sports betting operation.

The project was funded by a Byrne Administration Grant administered by the state attorney general's office.

The operation had a major impact on the number of burglaries. For example, the number of burglaries in South Hilo declined 30 percent over a two-year period, from 543 in 1998 to 376 in 2000.