Big Isle police kill suspect
wielding knife

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Star-Bulletin staff

A Big Island police officer shot and killed a knife-wielding man in his Puna home yesterday afternoon, detectives said.

The shooting occurred after officers responded to a disturbance at a home on Kupono Street in the Leilani Estates subdivision at about 2 p.m.

When officers arrived, they found a 39-year-old resident of the home attacking another man with what was described as a "military-type" dagger.

Detectives said the man was ordered to drop the knife and continued to slash at the other man and a police officer opened fire, striking the suspect.

The fire department said the 39-year-old man and a 46-year-old victim were taken to the Hilo Medical Center where the 39-year-old man was pronounced dead. No information was released on the other victim.

No information was released on the officer involved in the shooting.

Criminal investigation detectives and internal affairs were investigating the initial incident and the shooting.