Drug-treatment candidate
By Treena Shapiro
holds hostages at hospital
Star-BulletinA 26-year-old Waipahu man held relatives hostage in a car in front of the Castle Hospital emergency room for more than seven hours Saturday night, trapping visitors and staff in the hospital and forcing the evacuation of the emergency room, police said.
According to a police report, the man's family took him to the hospital for treatment of crystal methamphetamine addiction. The suspect pulled a gun as the car was parked in front of the emergency room entrance to the hospital just before 9 p.m.
He held his uncle and a cousin at gunpoint but released his wife and two small children. The cousin was allowed to leave the car at about 11 p.m. to use the restroom.
Police evacuated the emergency room, parking lot and nearby residences at about midnight.
Fina Avea, 22, was visiting her mother in the hospital when the drama began.
She said she was not allowed to leave the second floor of the building. "(They were) trying to keep everybody out of sight, keep them safe," she said.
Avea said the hospital kept patients and visitors informed about the progress of the incident.
Some people were scared, but Avea said she was more concerned about not being able to go outside to smoke.
A police negotiator used a bullhorn to talk to the suspect and was able to get a cellular phone to him at about 2 a.m. The man surrendered to police at 4:20 a.m. No one was injured in the incident.
Police recovered a 45-caliber semi-automatic pistol. The suspect was arrested for firearms violations and admitted to Castle Hospital for evaluation.
Jim Aldred, director of marketing for Castle Hospital, said HPD did a good job of securing the hospital.
Although patients in the emergency room had to be moved, their care was not compromised, Aldred said. "All patient care was provided with no interruption."
Aldred said the hospital has no plans to increase security.
