HONOLULU (KHON2) — Business owners and customers of Windward City Shopping Center are mourning the loss of a beloved security guard.
“He takes care of everybody,” said a business owner. “He wasn’t a security guard, he was a friend.
According to the Honolulu Police Department, officers responded to the scene around 6 a.m. Tuesday. Police say, the 77-year-old man arrived to work when he was approached by the suspect. HPD reports, an argument escalated and the victim was stabbed multiple times. Honolulu Emergency Medical Services reports, the man was taken to the hospital for apparent stab wounds to his neck, chest, arms and abdomen where he later died.
Those that knew the victim are shocked and can’t believe something like this could happen in such a quiet part of Kaneohe.
“He went well above and beyond what a security guard would be doing especially for someone who is unarmed and he has no way to protect himself,” said Christina, a business owner.
This isn’t the first deadly incident involving a security guard. Police say, in May, Michael Stubbs died after being attacked in Downtown with a metal water flask. In Hawaii, private guards are allowed to carry weapons if they have authorization from a state agency or the chief of police. Now, some security groups are considering extra protection for guards.
“Some of the people that we do have on staff, they just went through gun training and various other things,” said Melanie Long of Private Security Group.
Police say, the suspect took off towards Kamehameha Highway. No arrests have been made at this time. The community hopes justice will be served for the victim.
“I feel like we feel like we’re isolated from a lot of the things that happen on the mainland, but lately it seems like a lot of those senseless acts have made their way over here,” said Laura Zuniga, a customer.
Anyone with information is asked to call police.
According to police, the suspect was arrested on Wednesday, Dec. 7 in Downtown Honolulu.
