Shooting suspect
charged in
second casePolice believe the juvenile
robbed and assaulted a woman
three days earlier
A 17-year-old boy charged with shooting a Punchbowl homeowner during a burglary last month faces additional charges from a burglary that occurred three days earlier.
On Wednesday, police arrested Miti Maugaotega Jr. for burglary, robbery and firearms violations in connection with a June 23 break-in at a Kanunu Street apartment.
Maugaotega is awaiting an Aug. 27 hearing in Family Court to determine whether he will be tried as an adult or a juvenile in the shooting of Eric Kawamoto, 43, June 26 after Kawamoto returned home and found the teenager inside his Puowaina Drive residence, according to police. Maugaotega is charged with attempted murder, burglary, robbery, firearm violations and drug possession.
Kawamoto, who was shot in the chest, was taken to the Queen's Medical Center in critical condition. He has since recovered.
In the Kanunu Street burglary, the 57-year-old female victim told police she woke up about 12:30 a.m. to find a burglar rummaging through her dresser drawers.
She told police the burglar demanded money and sexually assaulted her.
The woman said that when the burglar went to search a different room, she ran out of the apartment. She said the burglar chased after and caught her in the stairwell, where he hit her on the head with a handgun and then fled.
Police had already arrested Maugaotega for sexual assault in the case. They also plan to ask a Family Court judge if they can charge Maugaotega as an adult in the Kanunu Street case at the Aug. 27 hearing.
Maugaotega remains in custody at the state juvenile detention facility on Alder Street.
