Man shot after allegedly pulling fake gun on officer
By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer
A 27-year-old man was shot in the shoulder yesterday after he allegedly drew a replica pistol during a confrontation with a police officer in Kaimuki.
Jeff Widener • The Honolulu Advertiser
The incident began with a minor vehicle collision at about 11 a.m. at the intersection of 6th and Harding avenues, and caused some disruption at nearby St. Patrick's School.
Police cordoned off the crime scene at 6th and Harding avenues, above, where a man is accused of drawing a replica gun, below, during a confrontation with an officer.
HPD photo
The injured man, identified by police as Oliver Tela, was treated at The Queen's Medical Center for a wound described as a graze to his right shoulder.
It is the fourth police case involving replica guns since July, when a law took effect prohibiting the open display of such guns in public or in the presence of a law enforcement officer.
Tela was released from the hospital and taken to the main police cellblock, where he was booked on a parole-revocation warrant for second-degree robbery and for first-degree terroristic threatening.
Police Chief Lee Donohue said yesterday that the confrontation started with the minor collision involving Tela and another motorist. A 27-year-old officer, who joined HPD 14 months ago, went to the scene and was informed by police dispatch that Tela was a fugitive.
The officer's name was not released pending investigation of the incident.
The chief said Tela resisted arrest and the officer tried to subdue him with pepper spray. Tela allegedly drew a pistol from his fanny pack, and the officer responded by firing three shots, said Donohue.
The officer responded as he was trained to do, Donohue said.
A wounded Tela fled, running through the back yards of residences until he was captured near 1004 9th Ave. An ambulance took him to Queen's at 12:10 p.m.
Jeff Widener • The Honolulu Advertiser
At St. Patrick's School, which has an enrollment of 540 students in kindergarten through eighth grade, Sister Rose Miriam Schillinger, the principal, said she heard several shots and immediately ordered a lockdown.
Police investigate the shooting in Kaimuki. Honolulu Police Chief Lee Donohue says dangers arise with the use of replica guns, which can be difficult to discern from the real thing.
"It was very scary for me, as principal, not knowing what was going on," she said. She added that students responded well, but they had a lot of questions after police advised the school that the danger had passed.
Police closed a section of Harding Avenue between 6th and 7th avenues for several hours while investigating the shooting.
In July, Mayor Jeremy Harris signed a new law that prohibits people from having unconcealed replica guns in public or having them out in the presence of a law enforcement officer.
The intent of the law is to protect officers and the public from situations that could result in serious injury.
There are dangers involved when the officer can't determine if the gun is real or not, Donohue said yesterday.
Three previous cases involving replica guns have been reported. Three men arrested Aug. 13 in Manoa were the first to be charged with replica gun offenses; a man, 21, and boy, 14, were arrested for a second incident that occurred Sept. 1 on the H-2 Freeway; and HPD spokeswoman Michelle Yu said that police recently arrested two young boys outside the Waipahu Public Library for a similar offense.
Reach Rod Ohira at 535-8181 or rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.
Correction: Sister Rose Miriam Schillinger is principal of Saint Patrick School. Her name was incorrect in a previous version of this yesterday.
