Special to the Star-Bulletin
Benedict 'Tiki' Manupule, 18, died at 3:55 a.m.
yesterday at Queen's Hospital, about 2-1/2 hours
after he was wounded in an exchange of
gunfire with a policeman.

---

Gun in shootout
hasn’t been found

Witnesses say Manupule
definitely had a weapon and
opened fire first

By Rod Ohira
Star-Bulletin

A night of celebration at Mayor Wright Housing ended in a tragic confrontation, leaving an 18-year-old dead and his family and police wondering what happened.

Benedict "Tiki" Manupule, an 18-year-old resident of Kalihi Valley Homes, died at 3:55 a.m. yesterday at Queen's Hospital, about 2-1/2 hours after being shot by an off-duty police officer responding to reports of an armed man threatening people.

Manupule shot at the officer first, according to witnesses.

"I heard him identify himself as a police officer and he ordered the guy to drop his weapon," said Shirley Nardo, a Mayor Wright resident. "But the guy fired at him."

Acting Police Chief Lee Donohue confirmed Nardo's comments.

Although numerous witnesses saw Manupule with a gun, no weapon was found at the scene.

If he fired a gun, there could be nitrate residue on Manupule's hand, said Donohue, who added that police are conducting separate administrative and criminal investigations into the shooting.

Donohue said the officer fired two shots from about 60 to 70 feet away and that Manupule was hit once.

A woman grazed in the shoulder by a bullet was not seriously injured, added Donohue.

Manupule, the third youngest of eight children, was not a violent person, his sister said.

"I don't believe he would threaten people," said Josephine Uhatafe, referring to her brother, who was about 6-foot-5 and weighed 230 pounds.

"Tiki was big, but really a child inside, a gentle giant.

"I was concerned that he was hanging around with older guys and I told him he shouldn't do that," she added.

The family learned about the shooting through a Tongan friend from Mayor Wright, Uhatafe said.

"We went to the hospital and I didn't see him before he died," Uhatafe added. "He was always so loving to my kids, making sure they had Christmas presents or helping me around the house."

Salomone Manupule says his brother visited briefly New Year's Eve.

"He came by with one of his friends, stayed a little while and hugged everybody before leaving," Salomone Manupule said. "When he's with the family, he's really good.

"The family is in shock right now and I just want to find out what happened," he added. "I hear different things but nothing from the police. I just don't think Tiki would shoot an officer."

Between 11 p.m. and 12:56 a.m., police responded to seven complaints of arguments at Mayor Wright, according to HPD communication records.

Witnesses, some of whom requested anonymity, saw Tiki Manupule partying with a group that was involved in a brawl about 11 p.m.

"They were fighting and some were cracking bottles," Nardo said. "Then the guy who got shot and two other guys started walking around like they were looking for somebody."

Nardo saw the trio again, shortly before the shooting began.

"There was a confrontation," she said, "and the guy who got shot pulled out a silver gun. He shot in the air."

James Uy saw a group of 30 or 40 people standing near his car in the parking lot.

"There was a lot of shouting and then this big guy pulls out a gun and fires one shot in the air," Uy said. "I went to call 911.

"While I was calling, I heard another shot and then pop-pop-pop, like three in a row," he added. "When I went back to look out my window, a lot of police were there."

Another witness said Manupule fell down after firing a couple of shots but managed to get up.

By then, the off-duty officer was at the scene.

The officer has been placed on administrative leave until Internal Affairs completes its investigation.