4. Benedict Manupule

Jan. 1,1998

About 1:40 a.m. on New Year's Day, an armed man threatened people and began firing shots into the air in the parking lot at the Mayor Wright Housing Project. Off-duty police officer Tenari Maafala, who had been staying at his mother's apartment, confronted the 230-pound Manupule.

1. The officer, standing about 60 feet from Manupule, ordered Manupule to drop his weapon. Manupule refused, and fired twice at the officer. The officer fired three shots at Manupule from a kneeling position.

2. Manupule, 18, staggered a short distance away and fell. He died several hours later.

Aftermath The shooting was ruled justified.



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.