Big Island suicide had
34 arrests in 2 years

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By B.J. Reyes
breyes@starbulletin.com

HILO >> A 20-year-old man who had been arrested and charged with 34 offenses over the past two years committed suicide during a confrontation with uniformed officers, police said.

Shaun "Mika" Thompson fatally shot himself Thursday night after his 19-year-old companion was shot and wounded by a police officer in the Ainaloa subdivision in Puna. The shootout erupted after the two men commandeered a car, Lt. Derek Pacheco said.

The 19-year-old was in stable condition yesterday at Hilo Medical Center, a nursing supervisor said. His name has not been released.

Thompson and his companion had forced their way into the back seat of a car driven by a 64-year-old woman with a 65-year-old male passenger, Pacheco said. The woman drove for a short time before pulling over to get the attention of four police officers who were in the area on an unrelated call.

According to police, the men were ordered to get out of the car, and a gunshot was fired from inside the car as the 19-year-old started to exit. One officer returned fire, hitting the teenager in the chest. Immediately thereafter, another gunshot was fired, and police later learned that Thompson had shot himself in the face and head.

Thompson had been arrested and charged with 34 offenses, including nine felonies, since he turned 18, Pacheco said.

In addition to a second-degree terroristic threatening conviction, Thompson had also been charged with crimes including reckless endangering, theft, assault, burglary and promoting a dangerous drug, Pacheco said.