Attorney alleges police Some police officers knew there was a child in the pickup truck driven by a convicted felon who was shot and killed in a gun battle with police Friday in Kaneohe, the attorney for the child's father said today.
knew boy was in truck
in Kaneohe shootout
He says some police knew but
did not tell the uniformed officersBy Rosemarie Bernardo
rbernardo@starbulletin.comIt is "very troubling to me that there was really an inexcusable breakdown in communications (as) to who was in the car," said David Gierlach, who is representing Christopher Edenfield.
Police acknowledged that at least some plainclothes officers knew a man and a child were in the truck but did not communicate that to the uniformed officers, Gierlach said.
Edenfield, and his 22-month-old son, Kyle, were passengers in a truck driven by Arnold Willets who was killed during the shootout in which officers fired more than 130 rounds. Edenfield was shot three times while his son received minor injuries.
Police said Willets fired several rounds from a shotgun at officers during a low-speed chase that began after Willets rammed an undercover police vehicle at Laenani Neighborhood Park in Kahaluu.
Gierlach said Edenfield and his son were victims of kidnapping.
They were taking a nap when Willets, a stranger armed with a shotgun, entered Edenfield's grandmother house in Kahaluu through a back door.
"This is everybody's worse nightmare. You're minding your own business in your own home and some nut walks into your own home," Gierlach said.
Willets told Edenfield that police were going to shoot him but they wouldn't fire if somebody was with him, Gierlach said. Willets then grabbed Kyle and went to his pickup truck while Edenfield followed him into the truck.
Gierlach said Willets appeared to be unfocused and high on drugs. While Willets drove away, Edenfield yelled at him and begged him to release his son, Gierlach said.
As the chase continued, the pickup truck rammed into a chain-link fence at Kaneohe District Park along Kahekili Highway and caught fire. During the gun battle, Edenfield shielded his son from the flying bullets, Gierlach said.
In an effort to escape, Edenfield shoved his son out the driver's side window of the truck, Gierlach said.
Edenfield's experience is "beyond description ... It could've been you or me," said Gierlach, who is considering filing a civil suit against police on his client's behalf.
In a Saturday news conference, Deputy Chief Glen Kajiyama said the shooting was justified. Kajiyama said uniformed officers, who were involved in the shooting, were not aware that a child was in the pickup truck.
Maj. Darryl Perry of the Criminal Investigation Division said police are continuing their investigation on the shooting.
Willets had eight prior felony convictions including robbery, kidnapping, auto theft and various firearms violations. In 1993, police classified Willets as a career criminal.
Edenfield's mother, Terry Gouveia, also said her son and grandson were victims of a kidnapping.
She was afraid that she would lose another child after learning that her son and grandson were caught in the middle of a deadly shootout with police in Kaneohe.
"My heart dropped down to my stomach," she said. "I hate to think I almost lost them."
Edenfield was shot three times: in the neck and less than an inch from his spine, thigh and through his left hand, Gierlach said. Kyle had a bruise on his head and scrapes on his head, arm and leg from shattered glass.
Gouveia said she received a call that Christopher and Kyle were injured in an incident but had no idea it was the shooting on Kahekili until she got to Queen's Medical Center.
She was afraid of losing another child. In 1985 she lost a 3-year-old daughter to a rare bone marrow disease. "This just made the memories all (come) back," she said.
Christopher and Kyle went home on Sunday.
Police, meanwhile, continue to investigate any connection between Willets and Edenfield. Gouveia said her son does not know Willets.
"My son was not a willing participant. I know that for sure," she said.
A police source said Willets suffered several gunshot wounds, including three to his face.
A medical examiner said a shot to the face killed Willets. Results of toxicology tests to determine whether Willets had any illegal substances in his body are pending.
On Saturday, Willets' brother Don Willets told the Star-Bulletin that he believed his brother was high on crystal methamphetamine at the time.
According to court documents, Edenfield was indicted Sept. 17 on two counts of third-degree sexual assault. He is free after posting $20,000 bail.
Star-Bulletin reporter Rod Antone contributed to this report.