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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, August 29, 2008

Suspect in invasion robbery charged

By Eloise Aguiar
Advertiser Staff Writer

A man arrested in connection with a home invasion robbery in which a teenager was shot has been charged with robbery, kidnapping and burglary.

Kevin Khamsouk, 19, is among five people being held following the Aug. 11 break-in that left 19-year-old Timothy Lapitan paralyzed after he was shot in the abdomen at 1256 Hulaku'i Drive.

Khamsouk yesterday was charged with two counts of robbery, three counts of kidnapping, one count of burglary and six counts of using a firearm in the commission of felonies.

First-degree robbery is a class-A felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

Khamsouk and two younger brothers, ages 16 and 17, were arrested at 2:20 p.m. Tuesday in their grandmother's Salt Lake Boulevard home, according to a police affidavit.

Another 16-year-old boy and another adult man also are in police custody in connection with the robbery, police said.

"All five people who were involved in the incident are in custody," said Honolulu police Maj. Frank Fujii, adding that the second adult could be charged as early as next week.

He would not say if the suspects are part of a gang, had committed other crimes or knew the victim.

"We will file a petition against the juveniles in Family Court," he said.

Fujii would not disclose the possible charges against the youths.

On Aug. 11, five people dressed in black clothing and wearing masks or bandannas forced their way into Lapitan's Aliamanu home.

Two of the intruders searched the home while the victims, including two women, were held at gunpoint.

At one point, Lapitan tried to push one of the suspects out the front door and was shot.

In the days leading up to the arrests, witnesses came forward to tell police that Khamsouk and the three juveniles said they had participated in the robbery, the affidavit said. One witness told police of seeing Khamsouk about an hour after the 10:56 a.m. robbery wearing dark clothing and having a laptop computer and safe that were taken from the home, the affidavit said.

Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com.