WAIALUA — A 19-year-old Waialua man shot to death Sunday morning had threatened a high school acquaintance over the phone and had gone to the man's residence with a machete before the incident, police and witnesses said yesterday.

Thomas Kawahakui, 19, was shot once in the chest in the front lawn of the home at 66-039 Waialua Beach Road.

Police arrested Jeremy Alan Deloach, 19, Sunday for investigation of second-degree murder. Deloach last night was released without charges, pending further investigation.

Deloach and Kawahakui graduated from Waialua High School in 2004.

Police responding to the 8:25 a.m. shooting found a gun and a large machete at the scene.

Police gave this account of the shooting: Kawahakui had been at a party that began Saturday night and continued into Sunday morning at Mokule'ia Beach Park.

A little after 7 a.m., partygoers decided to disperse but Kawahakui wanted to stay and started calling people to join him. Kawahakui eventually reached Deloach, who was "perturbed" by the early morning wake-up call, and they argued on the phone, police said.

What happened next was still not clear yesterday, police said, but they said Kawahakui showed up at Deloach's house and confronted him. During the argument Deloach allegedly shot Kawahakui, police said. Investigators are trying to determine if Kawahakui brought the machete with him or if he picked it up in the yard.

It also was not clear if Deloach had the gun when Kawahakui showed up or if he went back into the house during the argument and grabbed the gun.

Preliminary media reports calling the two "old friends" were not true, Deloach's roommate said yesterday.

"In 13 years (living here) I've never seen that guy (Kawahakui) in my life," said Taro Peiler, 28, an assistant restaurant manager who lives with Deloach, Deloach's girlfriend and her 3-year-old son. "I've known Jeremy since he was 4. They (Kawahakui and Deloach) went to school together, but they never hung out."

Peiler said Kawahakui called Deloach's cell phone at least twice early Saturday morning. He said Deloach was confused because he barely remembered Kawahakui from high school and didn't know what Kawahakui looked like.

Deloach's neighbors said the shooting had them spooked. Several did not want to be quoted because they said they wanted nothing to do with the incident.

"Now I worry. I got kids, too," said Nanette Bolo, who has lived on Waialua Beach Road for more than 15 years.

The death was the ninth homicide on O'ahu this year.