11. John Sinapati

Sept. 1, 1994

HPD motorcycle officer Stan Cook pulled over John Sinapati, 30, for a traffic violation on Hiapo Street in Waipahu. It was about 8:30 a.m.

1. Cook dismounted his motorcycle and approached Sinapati's car from behind.

2. With Cook at the driver's side window, Sinapati pulled an AK-47 assault rifle from under a shirt on the car's front seat. He leaned out the window and opened fire at Cook, who had begun backpedaling toward the rear of the car.

3. Cook fired back through the rear window from behind Sinapati's car.

4. Cook was hit in the abdomen and fell backward, continuing to fire at Sinapati. The officer fired 16 times, hitting Sinapati seven times; Sinapati fired 23 rounds, hitting Cook eight times. Sinapati died at the scene.

Aftermath The shooting was determined to be justified. Cook survived and was awarded HPD's silver medal of valor. He is still with the HPD.



Reporting By Jaymes K. Song
Graphics By David Swann
Star-Bulletin

Information taken from police and news reports.
Drawings are a Star-Bulletin artist's conception based on those reports.
Distances and relative locations are approximate.